Developed by the Desertification Research Center (CIDE, CSIC-UV-GVA), 'Bioclima' is presented as a citizen science mobile application for Android and iOS.
This simple app seeks to collect a large amount of data on the phenological rhythm of common plant species in order to understand how climate change affects plants
The citizen science mobile application Bioclima is now available for download on mobile devices. The development of this application has been coordinated by Francesco de Bello, researcher of the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) at the Desertification Research Center (CIDE), a joint center of CSIC, the University of Valencia and the Generalitat Valenciana. It has the collaboration of the Center for Forestry Research and Experimentation (CIEF) and has been developed by the technology consultancy Encamina. Bioclima arises from the need to understand how climate change affects our ecosystems.
Through this mobile application it is possible to record the changes in the rhythm of the life cycle of plants derived from climatic variations, i.e. their phenology, and thus analyze the impacts of climate change and the strategies adopted by species to adapt to them. To do this, it is crucial to collect a large amount of data, and it is here that the help of the public plays a fundamental role.
Both experts and amateurs can take note of the dates when these changes in the biological cycles of plants, known as phenophases, occur. When does the first flower appear? When do the first leaves fall? These observations make it possible to study variations in plant cycles over time and territory. The Bioclima application is a pioneer in Spain and makes it possible to monitor the phenology of common plant species in our ecosystems.
An open and collaborative app
Intuitive and easy to use, the application is open to anyone who wants to collaborate. Anyone who wants to record and share their observations from their field trips can download the Bioclima application free of charge and make their contributions.
Inspired by similar initiatives, but without applications designed specifically for this task, this system integrates the quantification of each of the fundamental stages of plants: growth, flowering and fruiting. Currently, the observation area is limited to the Valencian Community, although it is expected to be extended to other areas of Spain in the future.
Scientific validation of the data provided
The observations are scientifically validated by researchers of the Bioclima Network, who will use these data for the construction of a reliable database on the phenology of our biodiversity. Through this application, the data will be uploaded to the Biodiversity Data Bank (BDB) of the Valencian Community of the Regional Ministry of Environment, Water, Infrastructures and Territory, the largest virtual platform for collecting current data on the geographical distribution of wild species in the Valencian Community, which is part of a national data network and the Global Biodiversity Information System (GBIF), on a global scale. In this way, the data can also be freely viewed and downloaded from the BDB website.
With the extensive database generated quickly and on a large scale, urgent questions about the impact of climate change on our biodiversity can be addressed.
Funded by the Fundación Biodiversidad of the Spanish Ministry for Ecological Transition, and by the Conselleria de Innovacion, Universidades, Ciencia y Sociedad Digital of the Generalitat Valenciana (Aico program), Bioclima is available in Spanish and can be easily downloaded from the Google Play and Apple App Store.
CIDE Communication
