What is the point of Casual Observations?

[jasonrgrant]

I make observations of both wild and clearly cultivated organisms worldwide. I often upload one of the best photos for curation on iNaturalist, and then come back sometimes to use this photo in one my University courses, or some other type of presentation. As far as cultivated plants, I like to learn the names of these species, and getting an identification on iNaturalist can be useful.

[sedgequeen]

I’ve posted the cultivated parent of a wild seedling, if I know what’s happening there. (Two posts, one casual and one wild.) Also, occasionally, a cultivated plant I want a name for.

[sedgequeen]

I agree, @Star3 ! Let’s change the system! Have wild vs. non-wild, which can both reach Research Grade (and therefore are both in the “needs ID” pile), and use “casual” for things that lack something – a photo, a place, whatever – or show rocks, etc. Researchers who want to avoid the cultivated plants can just sort on the wild vs. non-wild category.

[Star3]

I don’t personally mind “Research Grade”, but only because I already know it really means “GBIF eligible”. That’s not something that is immediately obvious, though, and I see where you’re coming from.

I do think you’re right that “wild” and “non-wild” are more friendly terms, though, that do fit the stated purpose of iNaturalist (encouraging interactions with nature) far better. Especially since the data collection, and thus by extension the GBIF syncing, are “by products”.

And I agree with your other points re: “Needs ID” as well.

[dianastuder]

Long discussion running here https://forum.inaturalist.org/t/rename-research-grade-discussion-and-polls/590/4

[akilee]

These casual observations can be city trees and plants (native/non-native) that are part of phenology and biodiversity surveys: often we (at Earthwise Aware) have casual trees marked in surveys that study the phenology of guest and resident arthropods that we also record and link to the host plat/tree.

[zabdiel]

You can do a batch upload on this page with one species per line (I think any unique name will work but scientific name is probably best) then where & when. You would need to do separate uploads for each place/date. I have used this in the past four uploading a list of all the birds I’ve seen somewhere when I’ve not been able to take photos.

https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/new/batch

[bookworm86]

Ok, ty!

[jbecky]

True that. On scuba trips, I don’t get pictures of lots of things I see because I don’t always dive with a camera, I don’t use it for everything I see, and I’m not that good at it anyway. So if a dive guide identifies something cool, I might have him show me a picture to make sure that’s what I saw. And often my dive buddy gets cool pictures of things I see but they doesn’t want to use iNat or put their photos out in public. (I dive with some folks who make money selling their underwater photos online.)

[astra_the_dragon]

it may be worth mentioning to them that they can still retain full copyright on their photos which are uploaded to iNat. even a casual photo-less observation with a link to the relevant photo (in their gallery or wherever) would be beneficial :)