Data Collection through the use of iNaturalist – Just in time for National Science Week

14 Aug Data Collection through the use of iNaturalist – Just in time for National Science Week

Author: Christiana MacAskill

This National Science Week school theme is Species Survival – More than just sustainability.  With a theme like this, many might question, what can I do in the Digital Technologies space with this theme in mind?

Science and Digital Technologies have such a close partnership and much of science relies on technologies.  Data collection, visualisation and analysis is such an integral part of both Science and Digital Technologies, and technology use in science makes it all the more accessible.  A tool that is useful in both the Digital Technologies and Science space, is iNaturalist.

iNaturalist: https://www.inaturalist.org/

A community-driven platform that allows users to record and share observations of biodiversity around the world.  It allows for data collection by citizen scientists to create a global database of plant and animal observations.  It is also a great way to provide context in Digital Technologies for data collection and visualisation, geospatial technologies, machine learning, and project-based learning.

Incorporating iNaturalist into the curriculum not only enhances technical skills but also fosters a deeper connection to nature and awareness of biodiversity conservation.  iNaturalist offers a variety of applications for students in Digital Technologies and Science alike, here are some specific ways iNaturalist can be applied:

1. Data collection: Students can use iNaturalist to gather real-world data on local or global biodiversity. They learn about data collection, data integrity and the importance of metadata.
2. Geospatial technologies: Students can explore the use of Geographic Information Systems and mapping technologies. They can also analyse spatial data to study organisms distribution, habitat and environmental changes over time.
3. Machine learning: iNaturalist uses machine learning to help identify species. Students can delve into how these algorithms work, the training data needed and the accuracy of the species identification.
4. Data Visualisation: the large dataset that is available on iNaturalist can be used to create visualisations including graphs, charts, interactive maps and infographics.
5. Project-based learning: students can engage in their own project and data collection. They can document local species, identify and analyse trends, present their findings and integrate multiple aspects of digital technologies.

iNaturalist in Action: a Citizen Science school Project

This National Science Week there are students on the Gold Coast preparing to launch their own Citizen Science Biodiversity Project.  The project aims to utilise iNaturalist as the data collection point for their school’s biodiversity, so there is some baseline data before they try to change the flora in the school to more native species to draw native fauna.  They have a host of iPads set up, with planned nature walks to get students involved in the collection and analysis of the biodiversity data.  Overall, the project will follow these steps:

1. Survey biodiversity data in the school through the use of iNaturalist
2. Analyse and look for trends in species distributions in the school.
3. Plan what is required to change the species distribution to more native species.
4. Enact
5. Re-survey and monitor through iNaturalist over time.

The collaborative and crowdsourced approach not only democratises data collection but also generates large datasets that can be analysed for trends and patterns, showcasing the power of Digital Technologies in Citizen Science and conservation efforts.

View the project here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/helensvale-shs-biodiversity-project

Project map and pinned observations

Brief overview of observations