Citizen Scientists Are Accelerating Ecology Research With iNaturalist

The article discusses the significant contribution of citizen scientists to ecological research through the use of the iNaturalist platform. According to the research, thousands of scientific papers have utilized data collected by iNaturalist users, demonstrating the platform's valuable role in accelerating ecology research. iNaturalist is a mobile app and website that allows individuals to document and share observations of plants and animals, which are then verified by a community of experts. This crowdsourced approach to data collection has enabled researchers to access a vast amount of information that would otherwise be difficult to obtain. The article highlights the importance of citizen science in bridging the gap between professional researchers and the public, fostering greater engagement and understanding of the natural world. The use of iNaturalist has not only facilitated scientific discoveries but also empowered individuals to contribute to the advancement of ecological knowledge.