Hi, is there a possible solution to observations of multi-species algal/microrganism blooms? For instance watermelon snow https://uk.inaturalist.org/taxa/118485-Chlamydomonas-nivalis . In a lot of cases the observed phenomena is a bloom of multiple species. In the case of watermelon snow the species…

To answer part of this: iNaturalist generally does not really support any “informal” taxonomic classifications even if they may have data or informative merit. The exception to this may be the “complex” taxonomic level. However those are reserved normally for species in the same genus. To answer an…

You could also start a project where people could put observations of these blooms, regardless of their IDs. That would make them easy to find. Making or using (if there’s already one) an observation field to note the phenomenon might also make it easier to pull relevant observations regardless of …

Here’s a related topic: https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/what-is-the-best-way-to-classify-biological-soil-crusts/9113

Also: https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/create-a-id-category-called-mangroves-that-captures-the-different-families-that-make-up-mangrove-species/6927 https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/the-problem-with-mangroves/17007 https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/create-taxon-field-functionality-analogous-to-observa…

[image] parochi_al: Sea Sparkle is better name than our Red Tide - which sparkles at night.

Ok, thanks. All really helpful. It sounds like a project would work. And clearly i havent searched hard enough, as there is already one project! https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/watermelon-snow-biogeography?tab=about However it doesnt resolve the problem that many of these blooms aren’t formed …

[image] silversea_starsong: : iNaturalist generally does not really support any “informal” taxonomic classifications even if they may have data or informative merit. I wonder if this could come up for discussion again. It really doesn’t work to have a database where you use cryptic taxa, micr…

[image] parochi_al: Maybe overthinking this. You began overthinking it when you couldn’t leave well enough alone. This is an example of too much data muddying the waters. Look at it this way: when we refer to a “redwood forest” or a “kelp forest,” we don’t mean monoculture. Of course the redw…

Well, if someone took a picture of a grove of trees from a distance and called it Redwoods just because they looked tall, but you couldn’t actually figure out which trees were present, then yes, people would bump it down to Plants. From what I read, that seems to be the best metaphor for what’s happ…

Watermelon snow and multispecies assemblages/blooms?

General

earthknight October 26, 2024, 6:39am 5

Also:

https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/create-a-id-category-called-mangroves-that-captures-the-different-families-that-make-up-mangrove-species/6927
https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/the-problem-with-mangroves/17007
https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/create-taxon-field-functionality-analogous-to-observation-fields/7013
https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/separate-lichen-and-fungi-into-two-categories/5212
https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/paraphyletic-projects/9009
https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/list-of-paraphyletic-groups-in-inats-taxonomy/19456/3

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Watermelon snow and multispecies assemblages/blooms?

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