Last Post

This will be my last post for the City Nature Challenge this year. I hope to be posting to iNat soon from the Dominican Republic! There is still time upload observations taken between last Friday and last Monday. Identifications continue through next Sunday. The national (world) Coordinators will automatically harvest our “official” total on Monday, the 8th.

When I started this post, we had 3,170 observations of 1,141 species by 120 observers. At the moment, we’re at 3,170 observations by of 1,139 species by 120 observers, so we’re headed in the wrong direction! Actually, the species number is likely to vary in both directions as identifiers confirm (or deny) identifications.

In fact, I’m ecstatic with the results! Last year, we had 2,812 observations. I had hoped for 3,000, which we hit. Our 3,170 observations are a 13% increase over last year. Last year, we had 822 species. I had set us a real stretch goal of 1,000 species this year. You blew that out of the water with 1,141 species, a 39% increase! We had a slight decrease from 139 to 120 observers, a 14% decrease.

The breakdown by taxon group follows. Last year’s numbers are in parentheses, along with significant percentage changes.

Plants 1,640 (1,630) observations of 487 (407) species by 74 (74) observers
Fungi and Lichens 104 (42) observations of 47 (17, +176%) species by 26 (17) observers
Mollusks 22 (4) observations of 9 (4) species by 11 (4) observers
Arachnids 69 (40) observations of 41 (22, +86%) species by 18 (20) observers
Insects 765 (544) observations of 360 (227, +59%) species by 55 (66) observers
Fishes 7 (6) observations of 5 (5) species by 5 (4) observers
Amphibians 12 (43, -72%) observations of 6 (8) species by 8 (20) observers
Reptiles 37 (116, -68%) observations of 22 (23) species by 23 (51) observers
Birds 397 (334) observations of 139 (92, +51%) species by 39 (33) observers
Mammals 43 (43) observations of 14 (12) species by 12 (22) observers
Other species 22 (10) observations of 7 (5) species by 8 (4) observers

Significant gains included fungi and lichen species (up 176%), arachnid species (up 86%), insect species (up 59%), and bird species (up 51%). Reptile and amphibian observations were significantly down, by 68% and 72%, respectively, though the number of species was only slightly down for both. Perhaps the first couple of cold and dreary days weren’t suitable for observing herps?

We had 19 species of warbler this year, compared to 17 last year. We really had a great shorebird year, with 18 species, compared to only 4 last year! There were some real surprises on the bird list. Among the rarities were black-billed cuckoo, black-chinned hummingbird, ruddy turnstone, red-breasted nuthatch (late), gray-cheeked thrush, bronzed cowbird, cerulean warbler, and lazuli bunting! And that’s just the best of the best! Last year, we missed black-bellied whistling-duck, rock pigeon, chimney swift, both cormorants, purple martin, and eastern meadowlark. This year, observers picked up all of those!

What constitutes “other species”? Well, in 2022, it was New Guinea Flatworm; Common Pill Woodlouse; Eastern Grass Shrimp; slender springtails; and round-backed millepedes. This year, it was Common Earthworm; ostracods; Common Pill Woodlouse; slender springtails; globular springtails; lithobiid centipedes; Greenhouse Millipede.

The breakdown by county was
Brazos 1,952 (1,572) observations of 920 (598, +54%) species by 84 (94) observers
Burleson 473 (256) observations of 267 (182, +47%) species by 17 (19) observers
Grimes 57 (248, -77%) observations of 47 (17, 176%) species by 7 (21) observers
Leon 131 (72) observations of 96 (56, +71%) species by 12 (9) observers
Madison 211 (273) observations of 167 (172) species by 9 (4) observers
Robertson 337 (391) observations of 211 (219) species by 4 (8) observers

The top 10 observers, by observations, were:
scopic 425
shardintx 371
Dwight Bohlmeyer 365
Bruce Neville 331
Laura Sare 212
Megan Kossa (meganopteryx) 157
Mark McDermott 138
Laurie Brown (bugnerd) 118
mustelidmoon 115
Cindie Dillard (ctdbryantx) 107

The top 10 observers, by species, were:
Dwight Bohlmeyer 354
scopic 315
shardintx 218
Bruce Neville 200
Laura Sare 152
Mark McDermott 120
Laurie Brown (bugnerd) 90
Megan Kossa (meganopteryx) 89
mustelidmoon 65
Brent Cox (brent329) 56

It has to be noted that, of Dwight’s 365 observations, he had 354 species, meaning he had a species-to-observation ration of 1.03, probably the most selective ratio of anyone with more than one observation!

Were there any “best” species? The national Coordinators asked for suggestions for “interesting” observations for an infographic that will be shared next week. Dwight and I have suggested:

Drapetes rubricollis, an elaterid beetle, by scopic, 1st Brazos County record, only 4 total records in iNat (3 TX, 1 KY), https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/157911015

Cryptocephalus pumilus, a chrysomelid beetle, by (who else?) scopic, 2nd Brazos County record, only 6 total records in iNat (3 TX, 1 FL, 2 presumably not research grade), https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/157406066

Largefruit Sand Verbena, Abronia macrocarpa, an endangered plant, by taylorgarrison, from Leon or Robertson County (iNat automatically obscures locality data on listed species), only 10 research grade records in iNat, all from Leon or Freestone Counties, https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/157392523.

Best name still goes to Hackberry Nipplegall Psyllid.

This is where I again thank EVERYONE who participated or will participate in the Challenge. Your contribution is valued. Together, we blew last year’s results out of the water. I can’t even imagine what kind of goals we can set for next year! Sambiology, watch your back!

Till next year,
Bruce Neville
Brazos County CNC Coordinator

Julkaistu toukokuu 4, 2023 11:03 IP. käyttäjältä bruceneville