麻豆传媒

ONE of my New Year鈥檚 resolutions was to spend more time outdoors, in nature. Inevitably, there are apps for that, and the one I decided to try allows me to contribute to scientific research.

The wild plants and animals and, aided by the app鈥檚 user community, identify species you find. Biodiversity and conservation scientists can access and analyse photographs the app deems to be 鈥渞esearch grade鈥�.

You can also use iNaturalist to find online nature groups or citizen science projects in your area so you can contribute photos and data directly to them too. I am currently in the Netherlands, so I have been sharing my photos and observations with the .

My was of what I believe to be marram grass (genus Ammophila), which I spotted on coastal sand dunes in The Hague. The app told me that this grass (pictured above) can survive extreme winds and shifting sand thanks to its extensive underground stem system. Indeed, the grass helps to form and stabilise dunes, which are natural flood barriers.

I am still a beginner on the app, so I don鈥檛 think my observations have led to any major scientific discoveries (yet). But iNaturalist users have collectively contributed to plenty of research findings.

A recent analysis of 2700 photos uploaded to the app helped to suggest a connection between temperature rise and dragonfly wing colouration in North America. Climate change seems to be making male dragonflies less darkly coloured, possibly to reduce overheating in the sun. But this alteration may also make them less appealing to females.

Other research using data from iNaturalist found evidence of a , also associated with global warming.

In addition to tracking the impacts of climate change on wildlife, photos uploaded to the app have also contributed to the identification of rare or even completely new species. A photograph of a was , now called Cassidy鈥檚 poison dart frog (Andinobates cassidyhornae). And, in 2019, uploaded photos of a in California helped researchers identify it as a .

The app offers a fun way of learning about plants and animals, both around the world and in your own locale, while also potentially contributing to exciting research. Using it has certainly made me pay more attention to and better appreciate the wildlife in my immediate environment.

Sadly, it hasn鈥檛 helped with my other New Year鈥檚 resolution 鈥� to spend less time on my phone.

For other projects visit聽newscientist.com/maker.