May 2020 EcoQuest: Search for Stinknet!

Join us for May's EcoQuest: Search for Stinknet! Help us find and map as much Stinknet (Oncosiphon piluliferum) as possible!

This month's EcoQuest is in partnership with Desert Defenders. This program is managed in collaboration by CAZCA, Maricopa County Parks and Rec, and the McDowell Sonoran Conservancy. Participation in this month's EcoQuest will provide data to BOTH projects and increase awareness about this invasive species.

This invasive plant has spread aggressively both in urban and open spaces during the last few years. Stinknet spreads via very small seeds that are easily carried by wind and by foot. This plant can quickly alter the landscape as it outcompetes native species for resources and creates an extreme fire hazard once it dries. Be careful when observing this plant as it can cause allergic reactions, both respiratory and dermatological for some people. The smoke is also considered to be caustic.

In order to best plan for and manage stinknet we need to know where it is. When observing, please try to note how many plants you see, or take photos of the overall area along with your closeups of the plant. As a bonus, see if you can observe insects visiting stinknet!

Join the EcoQuest here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/search-for-stinknet

Join the ongoing Desert Defenders project here:
https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/stinknet-desert-defenders

In other exciting news, here are the results from April's EcoQuest: Metro Phoenix Nature Challenge!
Congratulations to @larivera and @sonoranaturalist!! Lisa had the most observations (127) while Matt observed the most species (66). Great work!

Final Counts for the April EcoQuest:

Top Three Observed Species: Stinknet (Oncosiphon piluliferum), Engelmann's Hedgehog Cactus (Echinocereus engelmannii), and Mallard Duck (Anas platyrhynchos)!

Observations: 3,828
Species: 909
Observers: 579

This is AMAZING and EXCITING! Thank you all for getting out there and discovering the biodiversity around you!

Publicado el mayo 1, 2020 06:19 TARDE por jenydavis jenydavis

Comentarios

This is exciting!! EcoQuest accepted ✔️

Publicado por jcat666 hace casi 4 años

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