Notes From Nature Talk

Can't understand the city

  • devot by devot

    Hello, maybe someone can help me. I was trying to understand the city and the state of this butterfly. Is that Fla for Florida? I have searched with Google and I have found only a DeBary in FL (not Fla!). I'm not american, maybe that's why I'm confused.
    Thanx for your help!

    Posted

  • ghewson by ghewson

    Yes, "Fla" is an abbreviation of Florida. So is "FL"!

    Posted

  • cerabilia by cerabilia scientist

    Yes, looks like a misspelling of Debary, FL,

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  • stewjack by stewjack

    I would like some feedback about CORRECTING questionable data.

    Since I could not find Debarry Florida in Google maps AND I could find Debary, in Volusia County Florida- that is the data I transcribed.

    I could have entered Debarry, I could have also entered Debarry, possibly Debary. Perhaps I should not have entered Volusia County since there may have been a town called Debarry back in 1961 Florida that was not located in Volusia county. I may creating errors!! Why should I second guess the collector just because he didn't have Google maps back in 1961!

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  • SandersClan by SandersClan

    Assuming that at some point an actual human being will look at this data just the way we've transcribed it, here's my take: In this case, I think I would have entered 'Debarry (Debary?)' and then 'Volusia County?' complete with question marks. The way I see it, this would point out to the aforementioned human being that there is some question as to the correct info, but that you have provided the best information you could. I, for one, have been providing county info if possible, when it's not already listed. I think that the maps the scientists use in making conservation decisions will be ones containing county/location info as we know it today. Hope this helps!

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  • robgur by robgur scientist, admin

    Its a good question --- In my head, I have considered the challenge to accurately collect the label data, warts and all --- and ohmigosh there are warts. Then once the data is there, we can do some of the next step operations to help improve the fitness for use of the records in biodiversity and conservation research and decision making. One of those steps is called "retrospective georeferencing" and you can read more about here: http://www.plosbiology.org/article/info:doi/10.1371/journal.pbio.0040381.

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  • SandersClan by SandersClan

    I just read the information you referenced and it sounds like a fantastic tool!

    It might be helpful to have questions such as stewjack's answered in tutorial form we could all access. If some other hairy examples were addressed as well, maybe we could all get an idea of what would help you guys the most as far as subjective data entry. Then at least we'd have more consistency in this area. In the meantime, would you tell us how you would enter stewjack's data? Thanks!

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  • robgur by robgur scientist, admin

    Yes that is a fantastic idea. We had discussed a tutorial but this got lost in the shuffle of preparing for the launch and we had hoped the help text on the tool would be at least good enough to start. I wonder if a tutorial/FAQ can be put back on the table. I will talk with the rest of the science/zooniverse team about this ASAP.

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  • SandersClan by SandersClan

    Thanks! I think it would be really useful.

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