The iNaturalist app as a teaching resource in biogeography education: a field-based experience

Abstract

This study investigates the iNaturalist app potential as a didactic tool for teaching Biogeography from the Landscape Geoecology perspective. The research is based on a field experience conducted with undergraduate students in Geography from the Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina (Federal University of Santa Catarina, UFSC) at the Lagoa do Peri Natural Monument in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina. Methodologically, an itinerary was designed with eight strategic observation points covering various ecosystems and relevant socio-environmental issues. The students used the app to record, identify, and share observations of local biodiversity, conducting analyses of the interrelationships between biotic, abiotic, and human components of the landscapes. The results indicate that iNaturalist provided greater student engagement, facilitated species identification through its artificial intelligence and expert verification features, and allowed for taxonomic and geographic distribution analyses. The experience demonstrated that integrating digital technologies into environmental science education can enhance learning and awareness of biodiversity conservation. It is concluded that field activities supported by technological tools like iNaturalist promote a systemic understanding of geographic space, contributing to the training of professionals capable of addressing the complex contemporary socio-environmental challenges.