iNaturalist and the Atlas of living Australia - repositories
I have known of iNaturalist as a program for several years, but since 16:6, we have provided our recordings and wildlife sightings to the Department for Environment through a departmental link. I have not really investigated this online tool. This shows how I was a bit of a science snob, thinking that the online Government database is the best practice tool. However, a neighbour “Ellura Sanctuary” sung its praises as a sound tool and what’s more Katie and David (Our kids) used it.... so I decided around Christmas time to sign up and look at iNaturalist.
I am now sharing my basic understanding ... to date we are impressed with with what iNat offers.
iNaturalist is a non-profit international online program (and application) that helps users identify the plants and animals in the natural world and their backyard around them. As a bonus, it generates data for science and conservation.
It is a means to record sightings, manage aspects of projects, and get assistance from experienced environmental experts and citizen scientists, as iNaturalist is a species identification system and an organism occurrence recording tool.
iNaturalist's mission is to “build a global community of 100 million naturalists by 2030 to connect people to nature and advance biodiversity science and conservation.” Many people focus on the first two aspects of building community and connecting people to nature. Some focus more on advancing science and conservation (usually, these people tend to be professional scientists).
We live in an age of growing disconnection between people and nature, where environmental and societal crises give rise to apathy and feelings of hopelessness. Participatory science platforms (like iNaturalist) play a pivotal role in bridging this disconnection by actively engaging individuals in ecological monitoring and data collection that directly contributes to scientific research and conservation efforts (Dickinson et al. 2010 is a great paper on this).
All records we make here in Australia are additionally of benefit as the data goes onto Atlas of Living Australia (ALA), which is a national digital platform that collects and provides free, open access to biodiversity data about Australia, making information about the country's plants and animals readily available for research, conservation planning, education, and environmental monitoring purposes; essentially acting as Australia's national biodiversity database.
Key points about the ALA:
· Open access:
Anyone can access the information on the ALA platform.
· Collaborative effort:
Data is aggregated from various sources, including academic institutions, scientific communities, environmental organizations, and the public.
· Biodiversity focus:
The ALA gathers information on all aspects of Australian biodiversity, including species distribution, occurrence records, and taxonomic details.
· Research support:
Researchers can utilize the ALA data for studies on species distribution, climate change impacts, and conservation priorities.
· Managed by CSIRO:
The CSIRO (Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation) is the lead agency in managing the ALA.
This direct involvement of people with the natural sciences fosters a deeper understanding and appreciation of the natural world, empowering individuals to learn about and become stewards of their local environments while having meaningful interactions with nature that transcend traditional academic or professional boundaries.
These benefits make participatory science valuable to us and valuable for science and conservation
How does iNaturalist work (the basics) link is iNaturalist
1- Download the program onto your PC or smartphone and register as a user (its free)
2- Then, when in the field and you see a bird or plant that you are not familiar with (cultivated, in captivity or in the natural environment) Take a photograph
3- Post the photograph onto iNat (A picture says 1000 words)
iNat wants these three things
· The time
· The date
· The location
4- This information will suggest the species in the image and provide a range of tools and drop-downs to assist us in making an educated guess.
Here is an older observation that I uploaded from 16:6. Since I had no records of the species, iNat suggested the genus for verification.
5—Your observation is then uploaded to the iNat server, where literally thousands of scientists, interested conservationists, budding birders, and people like you and me look at the image, the data, and the location and verify what it is based on their experience and what the image is.
Above is a screen cut from our observations on 16:6 as uploaded pending verification
6- When two or more independent people are verifying the identity (with the metadata included) it is then confirmed and is available for professionals as well as the ALA to use in their wider management of conservation
Colour represent if it is pending, or there are messages and communcations, ie seeking more details - most of these are Green which represents verified and to reserach quality.
A great tool for identification
In my expereince it has already been a great tool for asking for assistance.
We have may images and notes of plants, animals and invertebrates that we wish to versify so we have forwarded images to friends or neighbours who have more experinec than we have. we have taken plant voucher specimins and sent them to the State herbarioum and the Botanic gardens and we have emailed people who use date bases and have been paid conservationsalists, herpitologists and professionals to seek their input. Whsilt therse are all proactive and positive means to identify a specimin they do by their nature call on the good will of networks and take time.
iNat is a great tool for answering the question, "Is this grey green cover a lichen or a moss?"
A great tool to invest in our future generations - On a micro level, our four-year-old granddaughter Yumi spent some time today collecting insects and using iNat (with our assistance) to start her own introduction into the world of invertebrates—insects that form an integral part of our daily lives in our backyards.
She seemed interested and after a small introduction was not even to grossed out to pick up and touch her finds, being a slater beetle, (wood louse) a worm, a native cockroach and an earwig. Our younger generations will likely be the people whose hands we and the planet rest in - so let’s engage them in biodiversity and awareness as soon as they show an interest.
After the uploading it is important that you monitor the site to see if there are any edits required.
A great tool for scientific engagement.
On a Macro level, I recently attended a webinar hosted by the ALA to hear how industry professionals use biodiversity data to support their business needs.
What was interesting, above the tools that iNat provides for mapping, projects, and sharing information, is that access to biodiversity data supports many industries, such as environmental consulting, agriculture, mining, forestry, and tourism.
By leveraging this valuable open resource, businesses can make more informed decisions, minimise environmental impacts, and contribute to Australia's sustainability goals.
An image of a map and data collected on iNat - reflecting how icons can be used to determine, bird, reptile plant etc
Our closing comments: Why not join this global network and start recording the flora and fauna that you see every day?
At a minimum, it will allow you to become more aware of the world around you and perhaps appreciate the unique biodiversity we are blessed with.
At best, it may contribute very valuable data for better evaluation by our planners, scientists, and decision-makers.
link is iNaturalist
