Students, teachers, and citizen scientists need good resources to help them investigate for native and invasive species. To satisfy this need the Vital Signs team develops species identification resources for program participants to utilize during their investigations. The purpose of the species cards is twofold, first to facilitate the identification of native and invasive species and second to teach the participants about the organisms that they investigate. The species cards are a powerful resource because they are dynamic. When a Vital Signs participant or species expert gives feedback about a species card it is edited and republished on the Vital Signs website.
Developing species identification cards has been a major part of my service here at GMRI. I have worked to create the templates for a freshwater macroinvertebrate species card and a terrestrial insect species card. I was also responsible for maintaining the Microsoft Access Databases that we use to make the species cards. I taught myself how to change the forms and reports to alter the species cards as was needed. I have also spent a lot of time editing and publishing species cards for the Vital Signs volunteer, Sue. The cards that I completed during my term of service are below.
Upland Plants
Freshwater Plants
Aquatic Macroinvertebrates
Terrestrial Insects