New project on species interactions in the AWT
Hi there,
If you are seeing this post, it is because you are some of the top observers for the Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Site on iNaturalist.
My name is Seamus Doherty. I am a PhD student at Flinders University, South Australia.
I have recently created a project on iNaturalist called the 'PCI Project'.
This project has been designed to collect ANY type of terrestrial producer-consumer interaction (e.g. predator-prey interaction, parisite/host interaction, etc) within the Australian Wet Tropics bioregion.
Data collected for this project will be used to further understand what species interact within this region, and therefore how anthropogenic threats like climate change may affect these relationships in the future.
If you decide to join this project and make an observation, all you need to do is fill in the interaction type into the observation field.
Please message me with any other questions you may have.
Your participation in this project would be highly appreciated.
Kind regards,
Seamus Doherty.
UPDATE: 19/04/2022
I am once again looking to collect further interaction data for this project. Please see the original post above for further details. I would also be more than happy to answer any questions people may have. Again, any participation in this project is highly useful and will be directly used to help conserve the ecological communities that call the Wet Tropics their home.
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Comments
Good luck. I live in Melbourne and doesn't look like I'll be allowed to visit the wet tropics again for a while. :( If you haven't already done so I might scan some of my previous observations and add them.
Thanks, @reiner. I'll definitely continue to scan for pre-existing observations that fit my criteria. Any help with this would be hugely appreciated. Cheers.
I'll gladly join and look through my observations from north Queensland, however I don't think I'll make it to Australia in the foreseeable future.
Cheers!
I wish I could help, but I live in Canada. I have no idea when I'll be able to visit the region again.
Sounds very interesting! I am hoping to be back surveying in FNQ early next year. If all goes to plan, Would be happy to add to this project.
Thank you @flecksy @lesfreck @oriam - I appreciate the support. Any and all help would be highly appreciated. Cheers.
@seamus-doherty Not sure how many PCIs I have in the wet tropics, and prospects for adding to them are slight in the foreseeable future as others have noted (I'm based in NSW), but you are welcome to anything useful that I have posted, and I'll send it your way if I spot it.
Thank you @jeff_melvaine. I will definitely be spending some time trawling through existing observations for additions to the project. Any help with this would be hugely appreciated. Cheers.
I will be heading up to Tully in a couple of weeks. I will keep my eyes peeled and camera ready for any interactions.
@seamus-doherty Can you confirm the limits of the wet tropics as defined for your project please. I have not been to the top end, but I gather that Paluma is a plausible southern limit on the east coast.
I appreciate the help @elawrey . I look forward to seeing any interactions you record!
Hi @jeff_melvaine. Good question. The boundaries for the collection region are confined to the official Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Site. Paluma is a great area that is still relevant to this project, even if it falls outside of this boundary. Cheers!
I hope to be travelling through the Wet Tropics later this year so will definitely keep my eye out for Interactions.
Are you aware of the Biodiversity Data Interactions Interest Group on TDWG (Biodiversity Information Standards) (https://www.tdwg.org/community/interaction/). This is an open group, and I suggest it might be worth joining.
Cheers
Arthur
Hi Seamus, I just returned from QLD recently and am in the process of uploading all of my observations. Hoepfully they will assist you. probably unlikely to visit again any time soon but hopefully my observations and those from d_kurek and benkurek__ can assist you. Cheers, Tony
There's a map that delineates the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area here: https://www.researchgate.net/figure/The-Wet-Tropics-of-Queensland-World-Heritage-Area-Wet-Tropics-Management-Authority_fig1_275771419
(Paluma is contained in the delineated region.)
sadly I only visited North Queensland on vacation briefly from California and almost got stuck there a the pandemic started shutting down the world. I will look through observations I have and see if any are suitable for project.
I'm happy to join if I've not yet done so, and anyway feel free to add any of my (old....not been to Qld for a while for obvious reasons) observations you feel are suitable. FWIW it still seems unlikely I'll revisit Qld wet tropics for many months ahead. But if I do...these reminders do help!
Hi Seamus, happy to help where I can. All the best! Nikolas
Hi Seamus,
Thanks for making contact and the update. I am pleased you are working on this project in these 'troubled' times and wish you well in your studies for the PhD.
I am pleased some of my images have been of use to you but must advise that after two decade in the Wet Tropics I have moved permanently to New Zealand and do not expect to visit Australia again. AI have posted all of the images from the WT that I intended to,
Best wishes
Sorry Seamus,
We were on a travelling camper trip last year in the Tropics, doubt we will be heading that way again. We are in Tas, it's the Flinders Ranges SA for us this year.
All the best with your PhD. Cheers Joyce {Iris}
Seamus - you may also be interested in a Group on Flickr that has lots of tags - some of these I think include interactions. See https://www.flickr.com/groups/australianrainforestplants/
Some relevant tags include "Wet Tropics World " - can't see a Tag for interactions - but you could contact "Black Diamond" who is the moderator.
Cheers
Arthut
Hi Seamus, yes happy to join in
Thank you to everyone who has responded! I really appreciate all the help everyone is pouring into this project. It really gives a sense of care for this uniquely biodiverse region and the importance of its conservation.
I am also open to personal messages if anyone has any further questions or discussions they would like to have :)
Hi Seamus, I am very interested in helping you gather and take whatever images you need. What do I need to do from here on.
Regards
Kay Davis
Kalienplanet
Hi Seamus, Should I get back up there again during your data gathering time I'm happy to contribute, but it may be a while ;-). Let me know if you move to cool temperate for your next project ;-)
Sounds great sorry for my lack of knowledge but exactly how to do we join ? Please explain for someone that struggles with computers and social media please. Thank you I would to contribute just not exactly sure on how to do this.
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