Species Explorer lets you record all your observations of wildlife, whether you're at home, or on a distant hike, using a combination of web and mobile technology. Our focus is not on distant or exotic species–the Amazonian rainforest or the Arctic tundra–but the "everyday" species that we see in our local environment. Whether it is the abandoned lot at the end of our street, the local park, or a nearby wildlife refuge, there is a rich, exciting diversity of plants and animals waiting to be discovered. And you can keep track of it all using Species Explorer!
Species Explorer contains two main components, a web site application, accessible from any desktop web browser, and a mobile "observation tool." Using the mobile component, users will be able to enter their species observations anywhere, at any time, using their cell phone, PDA, or other mobile device. The web site application, designed to work hand-in-hand with the mobile application, offers a more comprehensive set of features. For example, the user can review all their species observations, edit or add observations, and share observations with other species trackers. Because both the mobile and web applications are connected to the same Species Explorer database, users will also be able to view other users' observations, in the context of their neighborhood, state, country, or the world.
Species Explorer focuses on observing local wildlife like those found in your backyard – because it is local species, not the exotic species on the other side of the world, that help people reconnect to their outdoor, ecological "community." By rekindling an interest in the natural spaces we inhabit, we begin to confer a value on the plants and animals that live there. That connection between observation, pride in the knowledge gained from observation, and the resulting value placed on the object of that knowledge -- our natural world – lies at the heart of what Species Explorer is all about.
The capability of the average person, the non-scientist, to contribute valuable information, even new discoveries, has become a growing trend across all the sciences. This growth of "citizen science" is illustrated in such examples as amateur astronomers finding new planets orbiting distant stars, or amateur birdwatchers sighting a species of bird through to be extinct. Species Explorer builds on this concept of citizen science by offering a set of innovative tools that help people record their nature observations in a powerful, but consistent format. The potential of these observations is to contribute on a global scale to the knowledge of species populations. By using the latest mobile device technology, as well as web-based rich internet applications, Species Explorer is helping people become part of a growing, world-wide community of citizen scientists.
While there are groups, clubs, or other organizations focused on one group of wildlife, such as birds or wildflowers, Species Explorer is designed to allow you to record your observations of any species. The mobile component allows these observations to take place virtually anywhere you can travel with your handheld device of choice. The value of this approach to nature observation is that it helps us understand the connections between organisms in our local ecosystem. It helps us see that this ecosystem is just that, a system, a network of living things. Each plant or animal is defined as much by its connections to the other species around it as by its own distinct physical traits. Species Explorer encourages this "systems" approach to understanding local species.
So why are you still reading? Go ahead register for a free account. Then explore the demo area to try the mobile and web-based observation tools. If you have thoughts on Species Explorer and any ways you think we could improve, please leave a note in our community forums (your same login when you register gets you into both the forums and lets you use the observation tools). Happy exploring!
|
