How to turn multiple observations into a single observation

In the event that the user didn’t comply and it has been quite some time, what is the ID policy here? Should both/all photos be identified?

It’s best to put the lowest taxon that applies to both/all photos.

Unfortunately, that does mean some get stuck at SOML.

2 Likes

The case being discussed here is where photos of the same subject were uploaded separately as indipendent observations and the observer didn’t combine them when asked.

Oops.
Well, l don’t see anything in the TOS specifically regarding duplicates, so while it definitely goes against the “spirit of the law” (where an observation represents a single interaction), there doesn’t seem to be anything actionable about it.

Personally, I’d say if the observer doesn’t return, then go ahead and ID it in spite of it being a duplicate, to get it out of the Needs ID pool, but that’s just me.

1 Like

Yes I agree, but I receive flack from other users for doing this.

2 Likes

I’ve translated this tutorial in Spanish, this way when finding duplicates from Hispanic speaking countries IDers can comment the link for the observers.

I’m also planning to add subtitles to the videos linked here so the full resource is more accessible for those who don’t speak English.

I asked here before if there are any problems, but the post didn’t get much attention.

3 Likes

I’ve been searching for how to combine multiple observations into one, but so far I’ve only found that it isn’t possible. I know how to get around this for photos, but my particular case is that I’ve used the in-app Audio Recorder, I make a recording, and then I save it. This makes one observation. Then the hawk calls again and I think “Ooo, maybe this time it will be a better recording!” And I make another recording, but to my knowledge there is no way to then stick it to the existing observation, so it makes a new one. Now these recordings exist only within the iNaturalist system, and not on my phone, so I can’t go back, get the second file, and add it to the first observation. I also don’t see a way to go into the website on the computer and download the second recording so that I can then upload it to the first observation.

Is there an answer to this particular problem?

1 Like

@ashley_bradford Right click on the time stamp of your recording, and then click save as

2 Likes

Sorry this reply is late but: I ignore them.
If they really have a problem with duplicates, then their beef is with the observer, not the identifier. My ID, by itself, doesn’t prevent the observer from removing a duplicate, nor is it an implicit encouragement to leave that duplicate in place.

But you do whatever you feel comfortable with. :)

2 Likes

But if it moves from Unknown to Plants … and dies there. What is gained? It is still, in practice, ‘UNknown’. But people who do ID Unknowns will never see it.

I prefer to cautiously push the ID as far as I can … or move on to the next.
But all our different approaches together do shift the Unknown Mountain.

Bottom line - it wastes skilled identifier’s time (not mine I’m middling) if they have to ID duplicates, instead of moving on to something which truly does Need their ID.

I’m confused. If it moves from Unknown to Plants and “dies there”…it is a plant, not an unknown.

Ther exact species might not be known, but it is at least something.

1 Like

Follow your notifications, and see how many of your Plants move on a taxon level.

I know that birds, insects, fungi - are broad categories that do move smartly on. But plants are so many … Botanists tend to follow families or much smaller groups - they don’t have time to pick thru All the Plants sadly.

Kingdom is a taxon level, though. A very high level, but still something.

1 Like

Fungi is the slowest group here. I think this must vary a lot by region. In my area the local botanists are generalists, but I remember when I tried helping CNC South Africa there were strong opinions about only putting plants to family or lower.

1 Like

Cape Town has an enthusiastic group of mushroom people. Fundis and foragers. I can’t fungi …

PS @arboretum_amy hopefully we have toned down those ‘strong’ opinions with some help from iNat (be kind)

and a PPS for @star3 YMMD but for me - I would rather battle with ‘plants’ that I can take further.
Or pull in extra help when the photo looks promising. But. I have. No. Idea what plant it could be, sob.

Well, given my extremely limited knowledge and confidence, my IDs tend to focus on clearing Unknowns, so I view even Kingdom-level coarse IDs as a “win”. :grin:

2 Likes

I use the URLs @arboretum_amy builds. It is her fault I now spend hours a day chewing thru unknowns. Such a challenge - and so rewarding when we find treasure in there.

1 Like

Thank you! Sorry so late - and this tells me how long I’ve been off the forum here. :stuck_out_tongue:

2 Likes

Maybe this topic is easier to find if the title should contain the word ‘split’ ?

This is the “combine” tutorial; the opposite situation, the “split” tutorial, is here: https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/how-to-fix-your-observation-with-photos-of-multiple-species/15096

Since the word split means something in taxanomic curation, it actually is not that helpful of a term to put in the forum search box. I see your point though. Unfortunately the author of a post (me) cannot edit it after too much time has passed. Perhaps a forun mod could change it to “How to fix your observation with photos of multiple species: splitting an observation”