nedjelja, siječnja 03, 2016

Invasive Species and Smart Phones

As a follow-up from my last post, I was interested in looking into the various management options for tracking the spread of invasive species. One of the more interesting options I have found is tracking them by smart phones.
There is an increasing number of smart phone apps that allow anyone with a GPS-equipped smart phone - so virtually anyone today - to be an active participant in the management of alien species. This allow scientists and managers to collect an amazing record of potentially alien species from sight-seers, school groups, hikers or volunteers who have an interest in botany. Most of the apps rely on geo-tagged photograps that are sent to qualified technicians who then process the data, map the occurrence of alien species and eventually make management decisions.
Some of these smart phone apps are: MISIN, That's Invasive, Rise, Plantas Invasoras. So the next time you find yourself in a protected areas, take a look at the plants and help the local managers maintain the local ecosystems!




I may not have gone where I wanted to go, but I'm sure I ended up where I needed to be.