http://erazvitie.org/article/naturalisti_i
“Digital Naturalists” is the title of the sci-pop interview with Dmitry Schigel (GBIF) and Alexey Seregin (Moscow University) published recently in Russian.
We discussed iNaturalist progress in Russia, future challenges and raising of public awareness. iNaturalist staff helped us with pics, so probably you will find some familiar faces.
I guess Google translate could help to read this article smoothly.
Wow, thanks! I’ve been a user for 2 years, but this has lots of info I didn’t know. I’d love to learn more about the rise and fall off herbarium collections, and the kinds of research projects being pioneered through GBIF data. Also, the 4 new species identified through iNaturalist as well as on other internet groups described in the article.
The Google translate was delightful. “Amateur” was sometimes translated “lover”, which is a great literal gloss. Also, “pull the pocket” is a new expression to me, I assume comparing priceless to “broke”. And “civil science” rather than “civilian science”! Great discussion on the difference between collectors and scientists in terms of goals and methods.
Keep up the good work!
Hi Tait,
Thanks for positive and motivating feedback. We are doing all our best to promote collecting of electronic data on biodiversity across Russia. Our community is not that big as you may think. Currently, there are less than 7,000 active observers. Nonetheless, they are very hard-working and fruitful.
The translation of ‘amateur’ to ‘lover’ is wonderful. There was a thread a while back about what ‘citizen scientists’ should be called, and I suggested that old word amateur. Sadly, in English it has come to be a derogatory term, so I love the fact that some cultures retain its essence!
I’m mainly a Noctuid identifier in North America, and I would also like to add that the availability of online resources (such as Moth Photographers Group, Bugguide, and in Canada CBIF) are also extremely important. They serve as a public museum, in which to compare the many variants of a specific moth to a range of specimens. These resources are what allow me to post (mostly) accurate confirmation or identification of a species.
Amateur versus professional, a lover of as opposed to paid to work.
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