Diario del proyecto City Nature Challenge 2022 Louisville Metro

27 de mayo de 2022

City Nature Challenge Results Narrative for Louisville Metro and More!

The iNaturalist City Nature Challenge-2022

Results Narrative for Louisville Metro and more!

Written and Submitted by Professor Margaret M. Carreiro, Administrator of this event for Louisville Metro.

From April 29 to May 2, while most Louisvillians were preoccupied with preparing for the Kentucky Derby and attending Derby events, 137 intrepid souls were contributing for the first time to a Bioblitz hosted by the iNaturalist City Nature Challenge, in which about 400 cities from around the world participated. This City Nature Challenge is organized by the California Academy of Sciences and the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. The main goal was to document the greatest number of plants, animals and fungi that dwell in Jefferson County as possible in that 4-day period. And as added incentive, the three city-counties in Kentucky that participated in this Global Bioblitz (Louisville Metro/Jefferson County, Lexington-Fayette County, and Richmond/Madison County) were in a friendly rivalry with one another to see how many species they could each document and how many people participated. Lexington folks had more experience than we did because they participated in 2021. This year, both Louisville and Madison County stepped up to the plate.

Three local organizations (Wild Ones Louisville, the Louisville Nature Center and the Parklands of Floyds Fork) sponsored group hikes or sampling events in natural areas and advertised the City Nature Challenge. In addition, individuals generously sponsored hikes focused on their areas of expertise. Ruth Meers held a mushroom-fungal walk and Lee Payne Jr. offered two bird-focused walks, Jacquelyn Hawkins-McGrail led a botanical hike.

Before reporting on the general results, I would like to share with you three exciting findings that observers made in Jefferson County that clearly exemplify the importance of using the iNaturalist system for conservation purposes and invasive species control.

--Olivia Wagner discovered a new aquatic invasive plant for Kentucky, The Java Water-Dropwort, Oenanthe javanica.

Vanessa Voelker, a Botanist with the Office of Kentucky Nature Preserves, recognized this plant from the photo upload during the Bioblitz.
You can view the plant by going to https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/114780254

Vanessa sent out alerts to relevant environmental organizations about the presence of this species in the state. She also provides this information in case you think you find it. This species is a relative of Water Hemlock, Cicuta maculate, a very toxic plant. We don’t yet know much about the Java Water-Dropwort, so do not try to to pull it aggressively with bare hands. If you think you see it, do not to attempt remove it yourself. Instead report it to the Office of State Nature Preserves in Frankfort. Upload any photos to iNaturalist.
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--Lee Payne, Jr. discovered a nesting pair of Yellow-Crowned Night Herons in St. Matthews! This species is Red Listed in Kentucky. It has returned to this nest for three years now. You can view them here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/114646671 and https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/114649118

--Betsey Ruhe (technically her husband, she tells me) uploaded the first iNaturalist sighting in Louisville/Jefferson County of the Showy Orchis (Galearis spectabilis). https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/115374703 This slow-growing orchid occurs mostly in the Appalachian Mountains and requires specific conditions to grow and bloom (moist seeps, forest cover, no disturbance, AND requires a specific fungal symbiont (Ceratobasidium) to "infect" its roots. This orchid is now endangered or threatened in other states. Exciting that he found it in the most urbanized county in Kentucky!

Now for the KENTUCKY overview! These are the official counts from the iNaturalist Team. They do vary from the ones you will find at https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/115374703 and https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2022-louisville-metro?tab=stats but the iNaturalist organizers did not explain why the two were discrepant. I added Cincinnati data as a benchmark for us too.

Total Observations Total Observers Total Species

Louisville Metro 2338 137 691

Lexington 2601 145 845
Madison County 2031 51 801
Cincinnati, Ohio 3228 196 800

Research Grade Species Research Grade Identifiers % RG Species
Louisville Metro 448 221 65%
Lexington 371 205 44%
Madison County 401 153 50%
Cincinnati, Ohio 354 240 44%

So the takeaway for next year is that we could recruit more observers! Perhaps, during the year, you could show other folks how to use iNaturalist for fun and to contribute to science. That way, by next April there will be more enthusiastic experts for the City Nature Challenge-2023, which will occur from April 28 to May 1. So mark your calendars!

Also, we beat the pants off of the other three cities in getting our species securely identified and into the Research Grade (65%), which is more useful for science. Thanks to all of you who jumped in and worked to get observations more confidently identified to species! You did a great job!

Across All Cities: Go to the Leaderboard here: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2022
445 Cities in 47 countries participated in the iNaturalist City Nature Challenge. This is quite an achievement considering that the City Nature Challenge started only in 2016 with 2 cities in the USA only.
Observations: 1,694,877
Species: 50,176+, including more 2,244 than rare/endangered/threatened species IN or NEAR CITIES!
Observers: 67,220

Rare, threatened or endangered species reported in the USA:
The Hawksbill Sea Turtle in South Florida
Western Beach Tiger Beetle in California
The Osprey, Pandion haliaetus, in Ada County, Idaho
Rainbow Trout, Oncorhynchus mykiss, in Boise, Idaho

Most-observed species globally: Common Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale)
The city of La Paz, Bolivia has the largest number of observations, observers and species.

To see the most observed plant species GLOBALLY by rank go here: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=47126&verifiable=any&view=species

The leading insect species was the Western Honeybee. To see the Global rank of insect species: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=47158&verifiable=any&view=species

Fungi: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=47170&verifiable=any&view=species

Mammals: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=40151&verifiable=any&view=species

Birds: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=3&verifiable=any&view=species

Arachnids: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=47119&verifiable=any&view=species

Amphibians: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=20978&verifiable=any&view=species

Reptiles:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=26036&verifiable=any&view=species

Ray-finned Fishes:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=47178&verifiable=any&view=species

Molluscs: https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=47115&verifiable=any&view=species

Other Animals:
https://www.inaturalist.org/observations?place_id=any&project_id=117404&subview=table&taxon_id=1&verifiable=any&view=species&without_taxon_id=47115,47119,47158,47178,20978,26036,3,40151

Publicado el mayo 27, 2022 09:18 TARDE por margaridamaria margaridamaria | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

08 de mayo de 2022

One more day to double check identifications and upload photos taken April 29 to May 2 !

Hi, everyone-

Please check your emails for messages I may have sent you to confirm some identifications. Also please help with those you feel you can. AND IF YOU STILL HAVE NOT UPLOADED ALL YOUR PHOTOS, please do so by 11:59 pm May 8. Compared with Lexington and Richmon (Madison County) Louisville is last in the species count!

Also take some time to view some of the amazing photos your fellow iNatters have taken for this bioblitz.

On Monday I will share with you some of the most incredible sightings and tell you why I shared them with the organizers of this Global City Nature Challenge!

Hope you had fun this Derby Day!

Best,
Margaret Carreiro
@margaridamaria

Publicado el mayo 8, 2022 01:04 MAÑANA por margaridamaria margaridamaria | 3 comentarios | Deja un comentario

03 de mayo de 2022

CNC 2022 Bioblitz: IS IT REALLY OVER? Yes and No.

Well! We made it! Thank you so much for participating! Did you have a good time? Did you learn more about the other beings sharing our city with us? I sure hope so.
I believe you may still have some questions that need answering because some of you were trying your best to get all your photos up before midnight last night. NO NEED!

YOU WILL HAVE UNTIL MAY 8 to upload observations taken from April 29-May 2, add identifications, and mark things as captive/cultivated if needed. AND ALSO HELP IDENTIFY SPECIMENS OTHERS UPLOADED, IF YOU CAN. We need as many to LEGITIMATELY ATTAIN RESEARCH GRADE STATUS AS POSSIBLE. (3 ID confirmations are best). I have been messaging leaderboard leaders on identifying specific species when I am unsure about the ID or if I see an interesting clearly photographed specimen of interest needs input from an expert.

The CNC organizers will record our numbers at midnight on May 9th and release final results a few hours after all time zones are into May 9th.

MEANTIME, IF YOU HAVE A FAVORITE/MOST INTERESTING SPECIMEN UPLOADED, PLEASE LET ME KNOW. DO YOU HAVE A FUN STORY TO SHARE? PLEASE ENTER THOSE IN COMMENTS IN THIS JOURNAL. ANY PHOTOS YOU WANT TO SHARE OF PEOPLE PARTICIPATING IN THIS BIOBLITZ? You can also message me using the iNat system by using @margaridmaria

Meantime, I am going to write a Press Release to see if our local press wants to write a story about us and this Bioblitz.

One thing I can share at this time is that we FOUND A NEW NON-NATIVE PLANT SPECIES in Our Parks System here- a first for Kentucky and among the first in our nation. We are notifying the Invasive Plant Council so they can notify the property owners so they can set up a plan to control it. THAT SHOWS JUST HOW IMPORTANT THIS iNATURALIST CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT CAN BE FOR SCIENCE AND FOR ECOLOGICAL MANAGEMENT OF OUR LAND AND WATERS. More later on this.

To check how Louisville's Project is going this week, go to:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2022-louisville-metro

To check on how Louisville has performed compared to Lexington and Madison County, go here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/kentucky-city-nature-challenge-2022-cities

Thank you all for your engagement in this iNat project!

Best,
Margaret Carreiro (AKA Margaridamaria)

Publicado el mayo 3, 2022 01:54 TARDE por margaridamaria margaridamaria | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

02 de mayo de 2022

City Nature Challenge- One More Day and We are Headed for the Home Stretch!

Hey, Louisville! Have you checked the Leaderboards recently? We have been catching up with Lexington and Madison County on number of species! I am impressed with us and with our species count. Who says that Cities are worthless when it comes to harboring interesting species. We have plenty.

Here is the link to Louisville Metro Stats
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2022-louisville-metro

And here is the link that compares Louisville with Lexington and Madison County
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/kentucky-city-nature-challenge-2022-cities

If you click on STATS you can get information on the different groups of species. For instance, Birds, Mammals, Plants, Fungi and other groups. As I write at 10 pm Sunday night, we have 590 species!

At the end of this Bioblitz, the iNaturalist folks have asked us to think about which are the coolest or most unexpected species we thought we found. Some cities have even found endangered species!
SO LET ME KNOW BY NEXT WEEKEND WHAT YOU THOUGHT ABOUT THAT.

FOR EXAMPLE, Have you seen the five-lined Skink that efs took a great photo of? https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/114468929

Have you seen the Beaver photos that oneofgodsgifts took? Guess he is likiing how Beargrass Creek has been cleaned up for him and his family. https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/114235818

And the beautiful photos of birds, especially warblers and other Neotropical Migrants. Wow! Thank you for the terrific photos, those of you with real cameras have. Keep them coming!

If you have photos of people taking pictures of species or a group hike, let me know if you want to share some with me.

And above all, I do hope you have had a good time with family, friends, groups or on a solo walkabout as you discover the AWESOME DIVERSITY OF LIFE ALL AROUND US IN OUR CITY!

GOOD NIGHT FOR NOW!
MARGARET CARREIRO (AKA margaridamaria)

Publicado el mayo 2, 2022 02:02 MAÑANA por margaridamaria margaridamaria | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

01 de mayo de 2022

HELP!!! WE NEED MORE PEOPLE TO IDENTIFY SPECIMENS for the Louisville City Nature Challenge Bioblitz

Hi, Folks-
Although I am proud to have taken the lead in species identifications for this Bioblitz, we have a LOT MORE to identify to get a specimen to RESEARCH GRADE.

So, if you can please take some time to try to "agree" or not, or otherwise help identify all the INCOMING UPLOADS, I SURE WOULD APPRECIATE IT. I AM SWAMPED!

And if you have not seen the LEADERBOARD FOR LOUISVILLE, GO HERE: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/city-nature-challenge-2022-louisville-metro

And click on species, observations, identifiers and STATS.

THEN GO HERE: https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/kentucky-city-nature-challenge-2022-cities
To see how we stand against Lexington-Fayette County and with Madison County for species, observations, observers and STATS. UNder stats, if you click on plants or fish or birds or mammals within the species circle shown, you will see all the observations made for that organismal group. So INTERESTING!

HOPE YOU ARE HAVING FUN OUT THERE getting to know the other residents of our city!
Margaret

Publicado el mayo 1, 2022 12:32 MAÑANA por margaridamaria margaridamaria | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

May 2 Final Group Event for the City Nature Challenge Metro Louisville Bioblitz

May 2 at 6 p.m. CHEROKEE PARK
A walk to photograph species in Cherokee Park will be lead by Becca Trueman of Jefferson County Soil
Conservation District and Hart Hagan of Wild Ones Louisville
Meet at Wildflower Woods, near the Daniel Boone Statue end of the Park where Eastern Parkway
begins.

Publicado el mayo 1, 2022 12:10 MAÑANA por margaridamaria margaridamaria | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

Louisville Metro CNC Bioblitz Events for May 1

There will be two Events tomorrow, Sunday May 1, if you want to join folks and take photos for this Global City Bioblitz.

  1. WAVERLY PARK at 11:00AM
    Mushroom and Biodiversity Foray Volunteer guide: Ruth Meers
    But of course, taking photos of plants and animals is just fine too!

Waverly Park is a Metro Park at
4800 Waverly Park Rd, Louisville, KY 40214
Terrain: dirt path, steep hills, mostly shaded.
NOTE: This will be a photographing/identification hike, not for mushroom picking.
Location website:
https://louisvilleky.gov/government/parks/park-list/waverly-park
Direction tips: Enter park and drive until you get to the playground parking lot on the right side before
you get to the lake.

  1. HARRODS CREEK PARK.at 1 p.m.
    Meet at the Trailhead at 6530 Montero Dr., Prospect, KY
    Hike will be led by Jacquelyn Hawkins-McGrail who knows this park and its wildflowers like the back of
    her hand! She is a Master Gardener and knowledeable botanist.

Publicado el mayo 1, 2022 12:07 MAÑANA por margaridamaria margaridamaria | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

30 de abril de 2022

How is Louisville Metro stacking up against Lexington and Madison County on this Global City Bioblitz ?

If you didn't know, Louisville Metro is in a friendly rivalry with Lexington and Madison County for this Bioblitz. So AT THE END OF DAY 1 OF 4, HOW ARE WE DOING?

TO FIND OUT GO TO THIS INATURALIST WEBSITE:

https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/kentucky-city-nature-challenge-2022-cities

Poke around and see how we measure up in terms of number of observations, number of species and other statistics. Remember, it's not over until it's over!

I hope you are having a fun time!

Ciao for now,
Margaret Carreiro (AKA Margaridamaria)

Publicado el abril 30, 2022 01:15 MAÑANA por margaridamaria margaridamaria | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

29 de abril de 2022

Louisville Metro iNaturalist CNC Events for APRIL 30

Hello, folks!

While you can simply wander off on your own snapping photos of plants, animals and fungi for this City Nature Challenge Bioblitz, if you would like you can also join a group for special walks or other events. For each of them, remember to wear appropriate footwear and clothing, bring water to drink and a snack if needed, and a camera or smartphone.

Here is the list for April 30. There are 4 events.

  1. CAVE HILL CEMETERY. 8 a.m. A wildlife tour especially for birds.
    Meet at the Broadway Entrance (701 Baxter Ave.). Hike leader: Lee Payne, Jr., President of Louisville Audubon Society who knows where all these animals like to hang out.

    BRING BINOCULARS and CAMERA! The plan is to explore Cave Hill for at least 2 hours, perhaps a bit
    longer, but you can choose to stay as long as you like. Be prompt because the early bird gets not just
    worms but gets to see some exciting wildlife!

    Because migratory bird season is upon us, you should see Rose-Breasted Grosbeaks, Blue Grosbeaks,
    Warblers, Baltimore Orioles and other Neotropical Migratory birds. Also Red Foxes, Turkeys, Cave
    Salamanders, American Tree Frogs, and even Otters, if you are lucky!

  2. CHEROKEE PARK WOODLANDS. 10 a.m.
    Meet at Hogan Fountain at 10 a.m. Rain date May 1. Same time and place. This walk will be led by Professor Margaret Carreiro of Wild Ones Louisville and the Administrator of this Bioblitz for Louisville. This hike will focus on wildflowers and insects. I will also demonstrate how best to take photos of plants so your specimen stands the best chance of being correctly identified by either iNat algorithms, other people, or curators. The walk is planned to last 2 hours, but stay as little or as long as you like.

  3. LOUISVILLE NATURE CENTER. 10-12pm & 1-3pm. We are limiting each hike to 10 participants, so registration is required. https://www.louisvillenaturecenter.org/camps-and-events/city-nature-challenge-inaturalist-bioblitz.
  4. THE PARKLANDS OF FLOYDS FORK. 9:00am-12pm.
    Meet at the PNC Achievement Center in Beckley Creek Park. We will have hourly hikes (9am, 10am,
    11am) leaving from the PNC Education and Achievement Center in Beckley Creek Park to go Seine
    netting and IDing.
    https://theparklands.org/event/fishing-workshop-what-lives-in-floyds-fork-anyways/
    SEINE NET FISHING WITH THE PARKLANDS
    Beginning at 9 a.m., Parklands Interpretive Rangers will lead hourly hikes to Beckley Creek for seine net
    fishing. Seine nets are a great way to capture and identify small fish like chubs and darters while getting
    our feet wet in the creek. All aquatic life identified using the seine net will be released and added to the
    iNaturalist City Nature Challenge as people across Louisville document as many living things as possible
    for citizen science. Water shoes, old tennis shoes, or strap-on sandals are recommended for creek
    wading. This drop-in activity is free and takes place hourly from 9 a.m. – 12 p.m. Registration is not
    required.

Publicado el abril 29, 2022 11:56 TARDE por margaridamaria margaridamaria | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

And....We're Off!

I'm not staying up until midnight, but we're there at long last!
The City Nature Challenge Bioblitz begins in 90 minutes, in case you are a night owl and searching for insects at night or other nocturnal critters.

There are no iNat hikes for April 29, so just go to your favorite place and take photos and upload.

And if you feel you can help out with identifications of plants, animals and/or fungi, let's please help each other out so our specimens can attain Research Grade.
You wouldn't want Lexington or Madison County to leave us in the dust, would you? 😉
No, I didn't think so.
But most importantly, go out and have fun.
I'll be in touch each of these next 4 days to see if you have questions and to provide any last minute info.
Margaret

Publicado el abril 29, 2022 02:32 MAÑANA por margaridamaria margaridamaria | 0 comentarios | Deja un comentario

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