Citizens collaborate with scientists to conduct species inventories
A joint effort between the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History, Boston
Museum of Science and Technology, and the NatureMapping Program
resulted in a 3-hour demonstration bioblitz on May 2, 2006 in Brewster,
MA. The goal was to demonstrate how a bioblitz is conducted, involve
the local community, and prepare volunteers who would be involved in
the Central Park Bioblitz the following month.
Data points displayed using the Nature Tracker software. click to enlarge
This was the first time marine invertebrates were collected using the Nature
Tracker software. A list of known species was provided by experts who
have been studying the Museum's shoreline for years. This became their
predicted species list. A total of 14 mammals, 39 birds, 15 terrestrial
invertebrates, 35 marine invertebrates, and 50 plants were documented,
which wasn't bad at all since it rained the entire time.
Sixteen students from the Lighthouse Charter School in Orleans, were
the "runners". They recorded observations on paper forms, for the
experts, to serve as the backup to the Nature Tracker data units. They would
"run" back to Science Central with the PDA's and compare data displayed
on the maps to their data collection forms while the experts stayed in
the field with another set of students and units. When finished, they
would "run" a new unit back into the field and send their teammates to
Science Central to repeat the process. The students were invaluable
helping the technology team fix data entry errors and identifying
locations when the GPS units couldn't get a "fix" while it was fresh on
everyone's mind.
For more information about the area visit the Cape Cod Museum of Natural History
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