DEVELOPMENT OF CITIZEN SCIENCE MOBILE APP FOR BIODIVERSITY INVENTORY WITH GOOGLE VISION AI
Hareshram Sivaraman, Suzanna Noor Azmy*, Noordyana Hassan, Zakri Tarmidi

Universiti Teknologi Malaysia

Abstract

This research presents the development of a mobile application for biodiversity inventory using a citizen science approach. The app, named BioMap, is designed to support biodiversity documentation and conservation through active public participation. It features automated identification of biodiversity elements and image-based geolocation extraction and mapping. The primary objective is to address critical challenges in biodiversity data collection through crowdsourcing, particularly the issues of inaccurate geotagging and species misidentification found in existing citizen science platforms. BioMap not only leverages citizen science to improve the accuracy of biodiversity inventories but also addresses the limited availability of public-involved validation methods. The app is developed using Flutter, primarily for Android devices, and integrates real-time data synchronization via Firebase Firestore. It also includes an interactive map powered by the Google Maps API and a dual-validation flagging system, allowing users to mark uploaded data as either correct or incorrect to inform others about its reliability. Field testing conducted at Hutan Simpan Kekal Panti demonstrated the effectiveness of the application across all core functionalities. Notably, all uploaded records (n=10) were accurately georeferenced and mapped, indicating a high level of spatial precision and usability based on user-reported outcomes.

Keywords: mobile apps, GIS, automated mapping, citizen science, biodiversity

Topic: Topic E: Sustainable Development Goals