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KERALA BIOBLITZ

Documenting Backyard Biodiversity of Kerala Biodiversity

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KERALA BIOBLITZ

  Kerala BioBlitz is a citizen science program initiated by ATREE-CERC, in association with India Biodiversity Portal (IBP), to document the biodiversity with the participation of school and college students, teachers and the enthusiastic general public. This program is expected to promote interest, awareness and participation in conservation activities and sustained monitoring of the biodiversity of the region.

      BioBlitz is an event where scientists, students, academia and interested public together document the biodiversity of a specific area within a short duration. The first BioBlitz was held at Kenilworth Aquatic Gardens, Washington D.C., USA., in 1996, where naturalist Susan Rudy coined the term. Ever since the success of the first event, considering the dearth of expert taxonomists, the scientific community found BioBlitz as an excellent method for documenting and monitoring biodiversity. A typical BioBlitz is a citizen science initiative that provides a platform for taxonomic experts and interested amateurs voluntarily to get together to enumerate the biodiversity of an area. Every species encountered is documented using photography, videography, audios, or mere visual observation notes.

   Kerala BioBlitz leverages the features of the India Biodiversity Portal (https://indiabiodiversity.org/) to record, document, aggregate and disseminate the information collected, to a global audience. The portal will showcase the activity of the project in real-time, through a microsite entirely dedicated to the project. The portal also provides a platform for the participants to interact with scientists and experts in the field.

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Our team will help the participants to contribute efficiently through capacity building workshops that familiarize the participants on biodiversity, its importance, need for conservation, identification of different floral and faunal elements and BioBlitz techniques. BioBlitz consists of 2-3 hours of Visual Encounter Survey (VES), spot photography and uploading photos of recorded species to the India Biodiversity Portal.  The expected outcome of the program are ‘backyard biodiversity registers’ of participating institutions and the contribution of the same to village biodiversity registers. We expect to build a ‘citizen biodiversity register of Kerala’ by the culmination of this project.

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How is KERALA BIOBLITZ different?

     Considering COVID -19 situation, we plan Kerala BioBlitz using webinars to disseminate the information to the participants, thus ensuring zero physical interaction among the participants. The participants can document the local biodiversity and uploaded the observations, including photos, videos, or audios, and any additional complementary information to a portal created for Kerala BioBlitz within IBP. These observations will be identified with the help of the broader IBP community, which includes a plethora of taxonomic experts.

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By the end of the program, we shall be establishing a "Backyard Biodiversity Register of Kerala," and each participating institution could aim to bring forth a "Local Biodiversity Register." Additionally, the participating institutions are invited to take part in the monthly taxonomic sessions for amateurs conducted by experts, organized by ATREE.

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Previous BioBlitz sessions

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ATREE in 2014 conducted Vembanad BioBlitz, a pilot study to understand the feasibility of such a program in schools. Students of grades 6 to 9 of 10 schools from Vembanad and Kuttanad region participated in the program. The program recorded ~4000 unique observations in just six months, including many rare species.

How to Register and Upload Your Observations?

video Guide

How to carry out the documentation:

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  • Participants take photographs/videos/audio clips of species by using their smart phones/cameras.

  • Features/characters of the subject should be taken separately. E.g., If you take the photos of butterflies, try to upload the images with features or characters (if possible) like wings, patterns, all possible sides, specific marks or lines, habitat, etc.

  • While selecting a site to document, make sure different areas are selected each time. Eg: If exploring a home garden, consider the left side a day, then right, a paddy field, a scared grove or a wilderness spot. Try to cover at least 1km per session.

  • While uploading photos, it is important to tag your college/school name in the tag section.

  • Try to provide all possible details such as specific locality, GPS location etc.

  • While uploading the observations, provide the identification of the subject as how you know it. i.e., provide local name, other vernacular names or scientific name etc.  
     

Notes:

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  • Please avoid risky areas and be careful about your safety

  • A specific mobile application will be made available for simultaneous uploads

  • Picture clarity is essential for better species identification

  • Participants are requested to maintain a field book, where they shall record their interesting observations, unusual characters, abundance and frequency of species seen etc. This shall be used while preparing the backyard biodiversity register and local biodiversity register.

 

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Leaves

COLLEGES

  1.  Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur
  2.  Farook College,Kozhikkod
  3.  St. Mary’s College for  Women, Thiruvalla, Pathanamthitta             
  4.  D B Pampa College, Pathanamthitta
  5.  Baselius College, Kottayam
  6.  Christian College, Chengannor, Alappuzha
  7.  Mary Matha College, Wayanad
  8.  St. Joseph College for Women, Alappuzha
  9.  Christ College, Irinjalakuda, Thrissur
10.  Nehru Arts and Science College,Kanhangad, Kasargod
11.  Govt. College for Women, TVM
12.  SN College, Kollam
13.  SN College, Pambanar, Idukki
14.  S H College, Thevara, Ernakulam
15.  Sree Sankaracharya University of Sanskrit, Kalady, Ernakulam
16.  Mar Ivanios College, TVM
17.  SN College, Varkala, TVM
18.  Sir Syed College, Taliparamba, Kannur
19.  MMNSS College, Kottayam
20.  Nirmalagiri College, Kannur
21.  M.E.S College, Mampad, Malappuram
22.  All Saint’s College, TVM
23.  KSMDB College, Sasthamcotta, Kollam
24.  TKMM College, Nangiarkulangara, Alappuzha
25.  VTMNSS College, Danuvachapuram, TVM
26.  Payyannoor College, Kannur
27.  NSS College, Nenmara, Palakkad
28.  Kannur university, Wayanad
29.  SN College, Cherthala, Alappuzha
30.  Christian College, Chengannor
31.  NSS College, Changanassery
32.  BCMCollege for Women, Kottayam
33.  SN College for Women, Kollam
34.  MSM College, Kayamkulam,Alappuzha
35.  St.Albert’s College.Ernakulam
36.  M G University, TVM
37.  Sree Sankara College, Kalady, Ernakulam
38.  St. Xavier’s College for Women,Aluva, Ernakulam
39.  NSS College, Ottapalam, Palakkad
40.  SB College, Changanacherry, Kottayam
41.  TKM College, Kollam
42.  KKTM Govt. College, Pullut, Kodungalllur
43.  Govt. Victoria College, Palakkad
44.  St. Xavier’s College for Women, Aluva, Ernakulam
45.  St.Thomas College, Pala,Kottayam
46.  DB College, Eramallikara, Chengannur, Alappuzha
47.  The Zamorin’s Guruvayurappan College, Kozhikkode
48.  Mar Thoma College, Ayur, Kollam
49.  Bishop Moore College, Mavelikkara, Alappuzha
50.  Deva Matha College, Kuravilangad, Kottayam
51.  St.Peter’s College,Kolenchery, Ernakulam
52.  Morning Star, Home Science College, Angamaly, Ernakulam

Leaves

SCHOOLS

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1.   GHSS, Cherthala, Alappuzha

2.   St. George HSS, Muttar, Alapapuzha

LIst Of Paricipants anchor

Institutes Participating 

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