Southern Wonder: Alabama's Surprising Biodiversity

When all the species of birds, trees, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, fishes, wildflowers, dragonflies, tiger beetles, and ants are tallied, Alabama harbors more species than ninety percent of the other states in the US. The state's 4,533 species, with more being inventoried and discovered each year, are supported by no less than sixty-four distinct ecological systems-each a unique blend of soil, water, sunlight, heat, and natural disturbance regimes.



Although Alabama is teeming with life, th...