Diario del proyecto EcoSpark Participant Observations

The City Nature Challenge is back again this year! And we need your help to win the title of the wildest city in Canada!

Please join our project page City Nature Challenge 2023: Toronto and GTA and help us take it over the top. Special thanks to all observers who took part last year!

The City Nature Challenge happening this year from April 28th - May 1st is an annual four-day global bioblitz where cities across the world compete to see which city can gather the greatest number of wildlife observations, find the most species and engage the most people in their community using the iNaturalist platform. EcoSpark is once again proud to be the regional organizer for the city of Toronto and the Greater Toronto Area (GTA).

It is so easy to participate! Find out how!

Last year, Toronto and GTA took part in the challenge and recorded a whopping 5060 observations, 825 species and 547 observers, putting us on the top spot for the most observers in Canada, and fifth spot for the most observations and species recorded in Canada.

This year we are going for a triple win and we need your help!

Help us get to 8000 observations, 900 species and 1000 observers and put Toronto and GTA on the map to win the title of the wildest city in Canada!

Share this event with your friends, families and colleagues. Get as many people involved as possible and help our city win! Sign up for EcoSpark’s newsletter and stand a chance to win exciting prizes, get access to free activities and updates to connect with nature near you in this year’s City Nature Challenge.

Stand a chance to win:
Grand prize for the winner of most unique species observed
Certificate of appreciation for our top iNaturalist observer
A cool sustainable prize for the lucky draw winner from iNaturalist participant list
A cool sustainable prize for the lucky draw winner from new EcoSpark newsletter signups
Field guide for the lucky draw winner who completes the SPRINGO card

@adacb @arborsphere @awellnhofer @baxter-birdnird @brett230 @cameron487 @carolyne_gardner @carrie_b8933 @cassandra270 @cherylmenezes @colaughl @danabuchbinder @demitria @duskwood @ecalvarez @emilyamoffat @emilystacy @ericka_bonilla @etracey @farahpasn @flowerforalgernon @friendlyforest @greentoby @h6cambe @homboyd @humairae @jacqueline_weber @jfarley25 @just_trying @kanchanam @kanchanama @karbenny @keetkacat @kinza3 @liviaantony @marlene-d @meganb @monikasaaliste @nancybarrett @natureamongus @natureexplorer349040832 @naturemannate @noammarkus @osborne88 @philidips @pmero @popb25 @r_view @sarabowman @skuruvil @sophie_tan @spacegenius747 @ssymes @sydney_shepherd @tconway23 @thcf @tollocroft @uofgtwitcher @valley554 @virginia218 @wendy1046 @zuzu_2021e

A post shared by EcoSpark intern Philip Harker

Trees! Who doesn’t love them? Here in Ontario, much of our land is covered in trees
year-round. In fact, 66% of the province’s land mass is forest [1]. Pretty amazing to
think about, especially for those of us who live in urban and suburban communities!
Trees are perennial species. This means that, once planted, they will stay alive for many
years, to include the summer and winter seasons. In Ontario’s cold winters, trees slow
down or even entirely halt photosynthesis (the production of food), with some going so
far as to completely shed their food factories (their leaves) [2]. This strategy allows trees
to save their energy for spring, when they can grow their leaves back relatively. Trees
that lose their leaves in the winter are called “deciduous trees”. Other trees, called
“coniferous trees”, have leaves that take a lot of resources to grow back if lost.
Coniferous trees have evolved to hold onto their leaves, as it makes more sense to hold
onto them through the winter than to spend most of the spring and summer growing
them back.

When walking through Ontario’s beautiful forests in the winter, take some photos of the
trees that you see. It can be very difficult to tell them apart, but there are a few key
clues to look for.

Bark
Tree bark does not change appearance throughout the year. Bark texture and colour
can be great ways to identify trees in the wintertime. Birches and beeches have a
distinctly smooth bark, whereas oaks and sugar maples have jagged and fractured
surfaces. Birch trees are characterised by their off-white bark with black spots, and red
oaks have a slightly— you guessed it— red hue.

A birch tree such as a paper birch (Betula papyrifera) has a very distinctive bark.

Photo: eknuth/iNaturalist [3]

Physiology
Just like humans, no two trees are alike. They have evolved to grow and develop in
different shapes and sizes. Despite the individual differences from specimen to
specimen, each tree species has some physical characteristics. Oak trees will have
thicker and fewer branches, maple trees will have thinner and denser branches, and
birch trees will be skinny, with branches well above the height of your head.

Fruit
All deciduous trees are part of a larger group of plants called “angiosperms”—the most
diverse group of plants on Earth. One of the defining traits of all angiosperms is that
they all produce fruits. Not all deciduous trees will produce prominent fruit in the winter,
but keep an eye out. You might see bright red berries of the winterberry (don’t eat
them, they’re quite toxic). These are small and soft. Larger berries could belong to the
hawthorne trees, but those are a bit harder to find in Ontario.

Winterberries are easily identifiable by their fish egg-like appearance.

Photo: zachbaranowski/iNaturalist [4]

Expert Referral

If you’re uncertain about a tree, snap a photo and post it to Ecosparks’ iNaturalist
page. Even if all you can confirm is whether it is deciduous or not, it won’t take long for
iNaturalist’s tree experts to make the identification for you.

Philip Harker is an undergraduate ecology student at the University of Toronto.

Citations
[1] https://www.ontario.ca/page/state-ontarios-natural-resources-forest-2021
[2] https://carnegiemnh.org/how-do-trees-survive-the-winter/
[3] https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5116631
[4] https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/67590216

EcoSpark Participant Observations is on the cusp of 50,000 records across Ontario! As we approach this tremendous milestone, EcoSpark staff send a big thank you to all of our participants. In this post we'll highlight a few of the beneficial results of your hard work contributing to this project.

These 50,000 records of individual specimens largely represent the devoted efforts of several lead observers. We truly couldn't do this without you! This project complements the work of enthusiastic contributions from volunteers new to iNaturalist, particularly teachers and their classes across the GTA and community volunteers taking part in City Nature Challenge. Thousands of identifiers helped review observations to support research grade findings. Thanks to each one of you for engaging with biodiversity!

By contributing species observations in this project, you've identified species at risk to help support research and actions for their conservation. You've flagged invasive species to help alert land managers to the spread of those non-native species that cause harm, again supporting research and prioritization info for appropriate management action. You've put species on the map in waterways, urban laneways, forest canopies, and everywhere else, showing once more that we all truly share this planet. You've become part of the vital conversations about nature that fuel a more resilient future through biodiversity and environmental connection. Thank you.

EcoSpark offers new ways to map and explore your findings through our GeoHub: https://ecospark-ecospark.hub.arcgis.com/
We meet thousands of students and volunteers each year who are introduced to citizen science with this project. They are so inspired by your observations to date, that many take their first snapshot in the Seek app or consider for the first time that there may be not 1 or 2 but 10 bird species on a given day in their school ground! To learn more about our hands-on programs or make a donation please visit www.ecospark.ca.

We hope you'll take a moment at this milestone to explore and celebrate what EcoSpark Participants have observed so far. Then, invite 3 friends to join the project so we can grow the network. We would love to welcome more naturalists of all experience levels to discover nature, act on its behalf, and make positive change for a better future for all.

City Nature Challenge 2022 is starting next Friday! Join us on April 29th - May 2nd and help us surpass our numbers from last year by getting to 8000 observations, 1500 species and 1000 observers. Put Toronto and the GTA on the map to win the title of the wildest city in Canada! Register here now!

Don't forget to join us May 3rd - May 8th and help identify species for the global count!

If you are tagged it is because you are in the top 50 observers in Toronto! Please help out by adding sightings next weekend and help spread the word!

Please feel free to brainstorm other ideas, ask questions, etc. in the comments – and definitely add others to this journal post via tagging them in the comments!

Facebook: @EcoSparkEnv
Twitter: @EcoSpark_Env
Instagram: @ecospark_env

@alankwok @gary-james @oridgen10 @owenstrickland @naturemannate @dbeadle @brianstahls @paulreevesphotography @garyyankech @nancybarrett @davidpickett @mws @kens18 @kha @kyukich @marlene-d @raviner @dkaposi @scharf @rileywalsh @pinemartyn @jfarley25 @lukek @tatiana-s @richardlbaxter @ajpto @allison_zhang @yryzhik @glennberry @jacqueline_weber @kalvinchan @jean_sebastien_chartier_dumais @sfreeman7 @data_nerd @jeongyoo @rbarakat @iapkarian @jmass @enyoharlley @marilyn20 @alexsoliman @handy2 @baxter-birdnird @cycer @greatblueheron @adam_capparelli @colleencraig @grahamrm @five_lined @gis1

This is EcoSpark’s second year coordinating the Toronto region’s participation and we are thrilled to be partnering with the ROM this year! Last year, our event came first in Canada for the number of species and observers, but Calgary beat us in the total number of observations category. This year we are going for a triple win and we need your help. Please sign up for the City Nature Challenge 2022: Toronto and GTA project and help us take it over the top.

Special thanks to all the observers who took part last year. If you would like to check out your iNaturalist contributions to our projects you can find them on our new iNaturalist Web Map Application, we are showcasing all of our iNaturalist observations up to 2021. You can filter by iNaturalist User ID, by year or season, or even species/taxon. Have fun exploring, and please check out some of our other Story Maps, Web Maps and Dashboards too.

Happy Spring 2022!

Citizen scientists researched low-till farming benefits for squash bees: those native pollinators for our pumpkins, gourds, and more!

Researchers shared their findings: "In this study, citizen scientists across Michigan used a survey to submit field management and bee observation data. Survey results indicated that squash bees occupy a wide geographic range and are more abundant in farms with reduced soil disturbance. Citizen science provided an inexpensive and effective method for examining impacts of farm management practices on squash bees and could be a valuable tool for monitoring and conserving other native pollinators."

Learn more about squash bees: https://inaturalist.ca/taxa/57679-Peponapis-pruinosa

Appenfeller LR, Lloyd S, Szendrei Z. Citizen science improves our understanding of the impact of soil management on wild pollinator abundance in agroecosystems. PLoS One. 2020;15(3):e0230007. Published 2020 Mar 10. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0230007

Happy Moth Week! Celebrating 10 years of enthusiasm for moths, National Moth Week has lots to offer for all ages and locations. EcoSpark encourages our participants to get outside evenings this week and add your moth sightings to iNaturalist. View Canadian results at:
https://inaturalist.ca/projects/national-moth-week-2021-canada

Excellent resources for finding and learning about moths can be found at https://nationalmothweek.org/, with some special ideas for kids: https://nationalmothweek.org/kids-page/ Your observations make a tremendous difference in research about these vital insects.

In Toronto people have lots of questions about the invasive LDD moth (gypsy moth) practically raining on us in some areas. We love how citizen scientists are pitching in to study the few (yet abundant!) pest species AND helping report the majority of moth species which are beneficial. Read more at https://www.ecospark.ca/blog/gypsymoth-caterpillarscount and also report LDD sightings in the city here: http://www.toronto.ca/gypsymoth

How to attract diverse moths:
Start by turning on a porch light and hanging up a white sheet for the moths to cling to.
Moths can also be baited by painting a slurry of overripe banana, sugar, and beer on a tree trunk. With either method, watch to see what flies in, then carefully take a photo of each moth species for iNaturalist. Remember to identify it at least as a moth to help get more specific ID's from the community.
You can attract and observe moths in any nighttime location. Read more details here: https://nationalmothweek.org/finding-moths-2/

Colourful day-flying moths such as the snowberry clearwing https://inaturalist.ca/observations?taxon_id=358549, a bumble bee mimic, are other interesting finds!

Need more convincing? Here's what the organizers say about why moths are so important:
"Moths can be important bioindicators. A bioindicator is a species or taxon that tells us about the health of an ecosystem. A greater diversity of moths typically means there is a greater diversity of plant species, which leads to a greater diversity of other species as well. They can help us monitor food plant populations and they are important food sources for many nocturnal AND diurnal organisms. Also, moths typically have a reputation of being drab, dull pests. However, that is certainly not the case. An extreme minority of moth species can cause trouble to humans, but most moths either have no impact on our lives or may serve important ecosystem functions such as pollination. Many moths are actually very interestingly patterned and colored. Moths are a world of sphinxes, hawks, owls, tigers, and scary eyes, all waiting for you outside your door, or perhaps in your home."

Photos are a vital part of iNaturalist. Observations can be identified and verified by others when high quality photos are used. But it can be challenging to get clear images when the organism won't hold still or the weather doesn't cooperate. In this post we're sharing some tips and resources to help you take (or tweak) photos for more positive identifications.

1) Center the organism in your frame, remove obstructions, get up close to small organisms, and use a tripod or brace the camera to hold it still while you shoot to prevent blurring. Snap a photo when you first spot an animal (like a butterfly) then carefully move closer and take more. That way you have at least one photo in case it moves away.

2) Take several shots from multiple angles (these should be submitted in the same iNaturalist observation) to improve the chances of a clear shot and capturing useful features for identification. For example, Northern ribbon snakes have a white half-moon spot near the eye, which helps distinguish them from garter snakes, so a side view of the head is helpful. https://inaturalist.ca/observations?taxon_id=734700

2) Consider cropping or other basic tweaks to improve the clarity of your image. No fancy software is required, and this will help viewers see what you're seeing in the image with enough detail to identify it: https://www.inaturalist.org/guide_taxa/366480 offers some how-to for these techniques.

3) Check out iNaturalist photo guides at https://www.inaturalist.org/guides/2465 for searchable photo guides that offer specific tips based on what you found. For example, you could review the General Guide for Photographing Plants, or find more details for ferns, orchids, etc. This is helpful because some organisms are best ID'ed when experts can view a particular part.

4) Read an overview of your camera/phone's settings to learn how and when to use flash, macro lens, or other features.

Want a fun way to connect students and families with nature? Check out BackyardBio.net!
Our friends at Exploring by the Seat of Your Pants have put together this really exciting initiative for September to engage more people in nature observation around the world. Here's the scoop:

"To start the 2020/2021 school year, we think it's important for students to explore the biodiversity around them and realize that they can play a role in protecting it. The start of this school year will be very different for students everywhere, some will be in the classroom, some will be at home, others still will be doing a hybrid of some sort. What all students can do is get excited about the natural world, explore it, learn more about it and share their discoveries with students everywhere."

Join in #BackyardBio:

1) Register your classroom.
2) Turn them loose in their communities with the iNaturalist and Seek apps.
(We suggest starting with this resource: https://www.inaturalist.org/pages/teacher's+guide)
3) Share photos via Instagram and Twitter using #BackyardBio
4) Join a virtual event with classrooms from other geographical locations.
5) Check out some exciting resources to immerse your students in the fascinating world of biodiversity.

Find out more at BackyardBio.net or https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/backyardbio

If you've heard a noise like a power saw coming from treetops lately, you were the wrong audience. The noise is male cicadas calling out to females in a brief courtship time following years of juvenile life underground.
Some cicadas, called periodic cicadas, emerge all together after 13 or 17 years sucking root juices beneath the soil. After emerging, cicadas mate and lay eggs in twigs, which eventually fall to the ground to start the cycle anew. Just why some cicadas are periodic remains a mystery, though one hypothesis is that the burst of many individuals emerging after so long overwhelms predator populations.
Citizen scientists are well positioned to contribute important data on cicadas, just by observing them! Try using the audio recording option with iNaturalist, or zoom in if you find the large insect in your neighbourhood for a great photo. Submit your observations, and read up on neat cicada facts like these:

Cicadas have antimicrobial wings that engineers have tried to recreate:
https://pubs.acs.org/doi/10.1021/acsami.5b08309

Certain fungi parasitize cicadas so that the insects act like zombies to spread the fungal spores:
https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1754504819300352

Researchers can glean info about climate change and environmental toxins from cicada lifecycles, which are so linked to the trees in their forest and urban habitats:
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/what-are-cicadas-180975009/