BIO Blitzing and Mapping
Evaluating Biodiversity Locally to Globally
What is a BioBlitz?
A BioBlitz is an event in which teams of volunteer scientists, families, students, teachers, and other community members work together to find and identify as many species of plants, animals, microbes, fungi, and other organisms as possible in a short period of time.
BioBlitz school yards, back yards, neighborhoods, library/museum grounds, business properties, local parks county/state/national parks … any outdoor space.
1) Start with visiting the National Geographic BioBlitz web page http://education.nationalgeographic.org/projects/bioblitz/
Ø Familiarize yourself with the available ideas, videos, suggestions, and curriculum
Ø Determine what is appropriate for your space and resources
Ø Let us know, and we can share certificates, viewing, lenses, and more
2) Create an account on the iNaturalist website
Ø Create a map of the area of study
3) Gather species data with students & volunteers
Ø Upload the species data (photo & details) onto the iNaturalist map
Why BioBlitz?
Students need and deserve an opportunity to explore their surroundings, use their natural curiosity. It doesn’t make sense solely to learn these terms indoors:
Biodiversity – the variety of life on Earth; all of the organisms in a particular place
Biotblitz – “bio” – life + “blitz” = a sudden, energetic and focused endeavor
Species abundance – the number of a particular species in an area
Species richness – the number of different species in an area
What is there? Why there? Why care?
Biodiversity is important to people and ecosystem health
· Provides a wide array of foods, fibers and other materials
· Contributes to medical discoveries, cures for diseases
· Pollinators, plants, and soil are critical for variety in our diets
· Provides ecological services such as clean water and absorbing chemicals (wetlands) and oxygen for us to breathe
· Enable adjustment to disturbances such as extreme fires and floods
· Prevents diseases and helps species adjust to changes in their environment
· Enriches our lives simply by existing.
“There are few things as beautiful, wonderful and inspiring as the diversity of life on Earth.”
-National Wildlife Federation
The National Geographic BioBlitz website has LOTS of ideas, curriculum, resource suggestions, videos, and how-to’s for grades K-12 AND for non-school events.
http://education.nationalgeographic.org/projects/bioblitz/
Ø Pocket guide to field skills
Ø Field notes data sheets
iNaturalist website has activities in relation to the web
http://www.inaturalist.org & iNaturalist App for mobile devices
Ø After signed in successfully; displays latest observations, maps, and active users
Ø Create a place map
Ø Add observations via android, iPhone, and web
Ø Explore observations via dropdown (hover over username/observations tab)
o Your place, state, country, and world
Ø Finding Places
o Existing (search tool)
o Create new one (bottom of the page)
On iNaturalist: additional support
Ø Scroll to bottom of screen & click on HELP (tutorials)
o Getting started
o Places: existing or create new
o Observations
o Identifications
Equipment/Toolkits
· Data sheets/paper/journals/log books OR
· Tablets
· Clipboards
· Plastic trays
· Small trowel
· Hand lenses/magnifying glasses
· Insect nets
· White paper towels
· Plastic petri dishes
· Small Ziploc bags
· Field guides
· Tri-fold guides
· Rulers
· Hoola hoops/rope circles
· Colored pencils
· Wading boots
· Shoe boxes
· Fish nets
· First aid kits
· Drinking water
· Wipes
§ Hand lenses/magnifying glasses Biodiversity “experts”: grandparent who loves bird watching, DNR specialist, Park Ranger, entomologist, herpetologist, biologist…
§ Aerial photographs of grounds (with group assignments) @
www.indianamap.org
§ Pencils/colored pencils
IF interested, students could pre-determine where to conduct their Bioblitz data collection
Find Indiana aerial photography from IndianaMAP @ www.indianamap.org
-Go to VIEW the Map and Select 2011 imagery
A few additional items:
· You DO NOT have to be able to identify all items observed … there is an option to highlight a ? when entering the data about the photo. This will encourage “specialists” to assist OR students can conduct more research later from the classroom & update after their data
· Upon completion, you will be able to view local/state/country observations by categories, in bar graphs, on maps, & compare your place to other places\
Resources
Short video about BioBlitz, in general:
http://education.nationalgeographic.org/media/do-it-yourself-bioblitz/
Curriculum & other ideas, resources, student materials & more from National Geographic: http://education.nationalgographic.org/projects/biolbitz/
National Park Service BioBlitz:
http://www.nps.gov/subjects/biodiversity/national-parks-bioblitz.htm
IndianaMAP for Indiana aerial photography: http://www.indianamap.org/
Indiana State library or local libraries: http://secure.in.gov/library/icb.htm
Encyclopedia of Life: http://eol.org/
Short video about a Schoolyard BioBlitz: http://education.nationalgeographic.org/media/schoolyward-bioblitz?
Video & activity revolving around a Neighborhood BioBlitz:
http://education.nationalgeographicl.org/activity/neighborhood-bioblitz/
2016 BioBlitz Introduction
Sally Plumb, Biodiversity Discovery Coordinator, NPS Biological Resources Division
Webinar Recording: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8pA6xmiyb7ZWGltMVVfWXNyQ2s
iNaturalist
Simon Kingston, Peter Budde, Alison Loar, NPS Inventory & Monitoring Division
Webinar Recording: https://drive.google.com/open?id=0B8pA6xmiyb7ZYmZwWS14ZIBRWFk
Review
1. Establish an iNaturalist account; create a map
2. Download the iNaturalist app on mobile devices (autosync)
3. Determine where to conduct research (random or organized)
4. Gather volunteers/specialists if needed
5. Gather field resources as needed
6. Let GENI know what you are doing ()
7. HAVE FUN with the BioBlitz day!!!
8. Research observations for identifications post event
9. Send thank you’s or certificates (via GENI or download via GENI webpage)
10. Relax and let the students demonstrate their newfound observation skills AND plan for your next Bio Blitz
Library Education Units = contact Katie Springer @ the Indiana State Library and the Indiana State Data Center, or 317.232.3732
Professional Growth Point or GISP = contact Kathy Lamb Kozenski @ the Geography Educators’ Network of Indiana/GENI, or 317.274.8879
THANK YOU & all the best for your 2016 BioBlitz!