Observations
BioBlitz Santa Barbara was a success. The current count of 942 taxa clearly shows that the "backyard" of Santa Barbara is a diverse landscape. The lists below show the organisms we found. Several of these are "in progress" and will be updated as time allows.
It is tempting to want to compare the results of BioBlitz Santa Barbara with other surveys, but that is not appropriate for several reasons. First, different regions of the country naturally contain different kinds and numbers of organisms. Further, the study design (time of year, number of scientists, etc.) clearly influences the results. Perhaps most importantly, the size and scope of the study area vastly influences the number of organisms found. Some BioBlitzes cover hundreds or even thousands of acres and include several vastly different habitats (lakes, streams, forests, grasslands). Others, like ours, are much smaller.
BioBlitz Santa Barbara covered a study area of 18.3 acres. It included a seasonal stream and its associated riparian zone, upland oak woodland, and a small amount of open chaparral. The list below summarizes our findings. Detailed lists can be found for each group by using the links below.
| Group | Taxon count |
|---|---|
| Protists | 44 |
| Fungi | 9 |
| Lichens | 113 |
| Mosses | 33 |
| Plants | 219 |
| Molluscs | 4 |
| Spiders | 53 |
| Insects | 378 |
| Springtails | 4 |
| Amphibians | 3 |
| Reptiles | 3 |
| Birds | 58 |
| Mammals | 18 |
| Other organisms | 3 |
| Total | 942 |
