BioBlitz

Maybe you know what a blitz is: an energetic and intensive effort on a specific task. But a BioBlitz? Well, it’s the same idea, with a biodiversity twist. The goal is to find, identify and catalog as many species in as many taxonomic groups as possible within a specific area and within a short time period (usually a few hours or one day).

A BioBlitz is an excellent example of citizen science in action, as it brings together volunteers that don’t necessarily have a background in science. During a BioBlitz, participants work together to explore and document the biodiversity of an area by taking photographs, collecting samples and making observations. This data is then used to create a species inventory or checklist. Why does that matter? Well, the data collected during a BioBlitz can be used by scientists and decision-makers to better understand the health of the environment (and specific species) in certain locations or, when data is added together, across entire regions. That information, in turn, is used to make better decisions for both people and nature. So a BioBlitz is useful!

BioBlitz’s are not restricted to parks or protected areas, but can also focus on residential, industrial, commercial and urban areas as well. Apps such as iNaturalist can help you identify and record species, and plot their exact location of discovery. This data is then made available to the public, of course, but also to those scientists and policymakers tasked with making the hard decisions.

BioBlitz Debrief:

Once you have returned from your BioBlitz and submitted all of your identifications, answer the questions below:

List the following species that exist in your search area:
- three native trees
- one poisonous plant
- five mammals
- ten birds
- one endangered or threatened species
Does your search area have high, medium or low biodiversity? How will you know how to classify it? (Hint: compare your results to other classes or areas that have been the focus of a BioBlitz.)
What other plants, animals, insects, reptiles, amphibians and more can be found in the area you studied, but simply weren’t seen during your BioBlitz? (Hint: compare your results to historical sightings in your area with iNaturalist.)
What specific group/location in your class found the most biodiversity? What factors contributed to this (environmental factors, geographical factors, human impact factors)?
Are you surprised by the abundance of biodiversity? Or by the lack of biodiversity?
Are invasive species present in your area? Are there any programs to eliminate that invasive?
Are there environmental stresses on the area you searched (previous natural disasters, development, disease etc)? Do you think these stresses impacted your results? Remember, what stresses one species might benefit another; this isn’t a yes/no question.
Can your findings help you with your final project? Might citizen science help your final project?
What’s the impact of citizen science in your area? Has it led to any major discoveries or altered any major decisions?
Why do you think citizen science matters? How will you contribute to citizen science in the future?
Find a group, organization or government agency in your community that would benefit from having access to your data and share it!
What is the major lesson you learned from your BioBlitz? What message would you like to share with your community? Is your community biodiversity-rich or are there red flags? Are there places in your community that deserve more attention and research? Write a press release to your local paper or contact your local government and share the information you think others should know.