Tips on Taking Photos of Invasive Species

Citizen science plays an important role in how we monitor invasive species in Nova Scotia. Citizen science is a term used to describe members of the general public who collaborate with professionals on scientific research. Many different people make up the citizen science community; nature advocates, children, students, birdwatchers, amateur astronomers, gardeners, hobbyists etc. All of whom share an interest and enthusiasm for science and nature.

Become a citizen scientist! When you see an invasive species report it! This can be done through iNaturalist or on the NSISC website. When reporting invasive species, it’s important to take good-quality photos. This allows for a quicker and easier confirmation of the observed organism.

See below for some useful tips for taking good observations!
• When recording observations to iNaturalist, try to identify the organism to the best of your ability, even if you just list it as a plant, bird, fungus, etc. It’s important to not leave the species box blank.

• Make sure your photo of the invasive species is in focus and not blurry. If the photo is too blurry confirmation of the species will be difficult or impossible.

• The organism you are reporting should be the focus of the photo. Crop out other organisms to reduce confusion on which is the subject of the observation.

• If you are taking photos of small organisms such as insects the organism should be large enough to see and not a small spec. This can be challenging! First, take a photo at a distance and as you slowly get closer take more photos. This method prevents you from unintentionally startling the targeted organism before you can get a photo. This tip is also useful for taking photos of birds or other easily startled organisms. (Hint you can also record sounds for your observations! This can be useful when observing bird species.)

• It is always best to take multiple photos when reporting invasive species! Additional photos showing other features of the organism will help with identification. Many plants for example require several key characteristics to be identified for species confirmation. See below some important tips when taking photos of invasive plant species!

  1. Include a photo of the entire plant.
  2. Take close-up photos of leaves and stem.
  3. If flowers or fruit are present, make sure to get a close-up.
  4. Take a photo of the entire patch to show the size of the invasion.

As always when you are out exploring make sure to follow Play Clean Go! Clean off your clothes, gear, and pets before and after entering a new site to help reduce the spread of invasive species!

Publicado el 09 de junio de 2023 por hgrimshaws hgrimshaws

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Vida Silvestre es una entidad asociada a la Organización Mundial de Conservación