SCIENCE FOR YOU
As a citizen scientist you can help to build our Ark with plant and animal images and information. When you look and learn about your surroundings you can share your experience with your contribution.
Everglades Ark collects information of animal and plant observations from Southwest Florida and from other global areas for comparison using Epicollect5 freeware. The purpose of this data collection is for survey and inventory. In addition to the images our Ark relational database includes related time, date, location, identity, behavior, interactions and environmental conditions as well as cohabitation influences of species and circadian and seasonal influences. It is often supplemented by high resolution photos, audio recordings and microscopic images. This assembled data may be used by anyone to facilitate environmental management, education and understanding of environment impact. The accessable database is freely available for anyone to use. If you wish to participate as a citizen scientist in collection or analysis please contact john@evergladesark.com and link to Evergladesark.com
Observation, Data collection and Epicollet5:
All observations are made using the custom app, in the field, in an as-is unaltered state. Observations are made with minimal invasion of the area or disruption of the animals. Often the garden staff and volunteers are very helpful and facilitate cooperation. Some additional lighting is used on occasion to facilitate photography for educational purposes. Some samples of the plants and animals are collected, and further examined macron microscopically. These staged photographs allows for more detailed examinations.
The customized Epicollect5 – Everglades Arm freeware is downloaded from their website at Epicollect5/Everglades Ark . It is well explained and intuitive to use. After entry, the data may be downloaded from the data website in a comma delimited file to MS Excel. The downloaded files may be sorted for individual research without effecting the master file. In order to add information to the site, participants need to be approved and their instruments validated by Everglades Ark staff. Only the administer may edit the entries. Imbeded in the entry format the are instructions.
The data from the site is arranged into two sections. These are:
- Survey collection is the data entry through the internet from cell phone observations in the field.
- Recorded collection is the data entry of details of off-location high resolution records. These include the non cell phone records from the cameras, microscope and audio and video equipment and their associated sub file data such as lens type, lens settings etc. The Recorded section files are entered through hard wire or intranet connection after all of the cell phone field entries are uploaded to the Epicollect5 site via an internet connection.
Identification of species phylum, class, order and common name is done as best as possible using two or more identification resources. Experts are always welcome to recommend corrections or suggestions.
The observation number is the File Key. This sequential number entered into the data entry point is used to reference all other data such as those of the off-location files. The off-location files are located on dedicated hard drives and backed up to a secure cloud account.
Interested parties are encouraged to participate as volunteer citizen scientists at the Everglades Wonder Gardens. A training experience is required to participare as an surveyor and collector.
Look for the next posting titled Epicollect5/Everglades ark v.2 posting coming soon.
Contact john@evergladesark.com for more information.
References:
http://evergladesark.com/2021/04/03/about-gps-distances/
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