<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0304</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2012-02-28</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0001532750</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>Atlas Resource Partners, L.P.</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>ARP</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001347218</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Atlas Energy, L.P.</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>PARK PLACE CORPORATE CENTER ONE</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>1000 COMMERCE DRIVE, SUITE 400</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>PITTSBURGH</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>PA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>15275</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>0</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>1</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Units</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2012-02-28</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>J</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>5237514</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F1"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>20962486</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">After the close of trading on March 13, 2012, the reporting person intends to distribute on a pro rata basis approximately 5.24 million common units of the issuer held by it to the reporting person's unitholders of record as of the close of business on February 28, 2012, on the basis of 0.1021 of a common unit of the issuer for each common unit of the reporting person outstanding as of the record date, as described in more detail in the information statement included in the registration statement on Form 10 filed by the issuer with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commision.</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Lisa Washington, Secretary</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2012-03-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
