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3. Natural Resources and Environmental Quality

John Humphreys had never seen snow in person until he ventured to Buffalo, New York in January — to scuba dive. Just a month later, the 15-year-old Tampa resident and 4-H member was navigating underwater around Antarctic icebergs. Now back from his nearly three-week journey, John plans to spend most of his summer analyzing iceberg-related [&#8230;]

John Humphreys had never seen snow in person until he ventured to Buffalo, New York in January — to scuba dive. Just a month later, the 15-year-old Tampa resident and 4-H member was navigating underwater around Antarctic icebergs. 
<figure id="attachment_45147" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-45147" style="width: 225px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/06/20240301_163942-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" fetchpriority="high" class="size-medium wp-image-45147 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="John Humphreys" width="225" height="300" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/06/20240301_163942-225x300.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-45147" class="wp-caption-text">John stands upon a rocky Antarctic shore. (Photo Courtesy of John Humphreys)</figcaption></figure>
Now back from his nearly three-week journey, John plans to spend most of his summer analyzing iceberg-related data he and 15 adult citizen scientists collected while under his instruction. His ability to convey what he learned through a research paper and two presentations in August will ultimately determine whether he earns certification as a MasterNaut, the highest distinction within the SCUBAnauts marine science education program.
“The reason he went on this trip was to help answer some major questions and to let people know that kids can do it: that if you work hard enough toward something, you can achieve your goal, and he did,” said Nicole Humphreys, John’s mom.
John’s ascent to potential MasterNaut status began in 2020, when he joined 4-H. Fellow members of the organization introduced him to scuba diving, and he became a SCUBA-naut, eventually earning certifications in advanced open water, rescue and coral restoration diving before reaching the master scuba diver classification, the highest recreational certification level.
In October, he learned about a research trip to Antarctica scheduled to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the HMS Challenger’s 1874 crossing in the vicinity.
“Since the HMS Challenger made so many contributions to understanding our oceans, this trip was to commemorate the ship’s efforts and contributions and bring a new era of citizen science together,” John said.
The organizers of the trip approved John’s request to join them in November. He quickly set about acquiring a drysuit capable of insulating his body against freezing water and achieved drysuit certification. Subsequent training for Antarctica required 50 dives, 10 of which took place within water of 39 degrees or below.
Katie Cooper, John’s SCUBAnauts instructor, accompanied him on the trip. She described him as “an incredibly determined young man.”
“When he first expressed interest, I had reservations because it is a very specialized activity that requires extensive preparation, even beyond the training and experience he already had,” Cooper said. “But the more we talked about it, we developed a plan, and I knew he would put his all into getting ready.”
<figure id="attachment_45149" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-45149" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/06/john-on-iceberg-pretty-bottom-photo-by-becky-schott-Liquid-Productions-_LP41254-scaled.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="size-medium wp-image-45149 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="200" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/news/files/2024/06/john-on-iceberg-pretty-bottom-photo-by-becky-schott-Liquid-Productions-_LP41254-300x200.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-45149" class="wp-caption-text">John navigates around an iceberg. (Photo by Becky Schott of Liquid Productions)</figcaption></figure>
Their ship, the 300-foot Ortelius, left Ushuaia, Argentina, on Feb. 21. Diving into 32-degree waters, John and his team classified the icebergs they encountered, documenting their shape, color and size. While aboard, he participated in a <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bNfcJKdatho" target="_blank" rel="noopener">livestreamed informational video</a> for elementary school students around the world. John and Amy Moran, a marine biologist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, showed viewers their extensive gear and described the wildlife they had observed on the trip: whales, leopard seals, sea spiders, sea anemones, plankton, limpets, sea stars and three species of penguins.
“You’re the youngest person I know of who has ever dived in the Antarctic,” Moran told John during the livestream.
A lofty accomplishment, sure, but it pales in comparison to John’s ultimate aspiration of becoming a mission commander astronaut specializing in Mars exploration.
“My hope is to help others reach for their goals and dream big because even something that sounds as impossible as diving in Antarctica at 15 is not if you have the drive to do it,” John said. “You just have to know it’s possible.”
###
ABOUT UF/IFAS 
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
<a href="http://www.ifas.ufl.edu">ifas.ufl.edu</a>  |  <a href="https://twitter.com/UF_IFAS">@UF_IFAS</a>
ABOUT FLORIDA 4-H 
4-H is the youth development program of the land-grant university system and Cooperative Extension System. The program provides hands-on educational programs and experiences for youth ages 5 to 18 with the objective of developing youth as individuals, and as responsible and productive citizens. In Florida, 4-H is administered by University of Florida/IFAS Extension and Florida A&amp;M University.

John Humphreys had never seen snow in person until he ventured to Buffalo, New York in January — to scuba dive. Just a month later, the 15-year-old Tampa resident and 4-H member was navigating underwater around Antarctic icebergs. 
John stands upon a rocky Antarctic shore. (Photo Courtesy of John Humphreys)
Now back from his nearly three-week journey, John plans to spend most of his summer analyzing iceberg-related data he and 15 adult citizen scientists collected while under his instruction. His ability to convey what he learned through a research paper and two presentations in August will ultimately determine whether he earns certification as a MasterNaut, the highest distinction within the SCUBAnauts marine science education program.
“The reason he went on this trip was to help answer some major questions and to let people know that kids can do it: that if you work hard enough toward something, you can achieve your goal, and he did,” said Nicole Humphreys, John’s mom.
John’s ascent to potential MasterNaut status began in 2020, when he joined 4-H. Fellow members of the organization introduced him to scuba diving, and he became a SCUBA-naut, eventually earning certifications in advanced open water, rescue and coral restoration diving before reaching the master scuba diver classification, the highest recreational certification level.
In October, he learned about a research trip to Antarctica scheduled to coincide with the 150th anniversary of the HMS Challenger’s 1874 crossing in the vicinity.
“Since the HMS Challenger made so many contributions to understanding our oceans, this trip was to commemorate the ship’s efforts and contributions and bring a new era of citizen science together,” John said.
The organizers of the trip approved John’s request to join them in November. He quickly set about acquiring a drysuit capable of insulating his body against freezing water and achieved drysuit certification. Subsequent training for Antarctica required 50 dives, 10 of which took place within water of 39 degrees or below.
Katie Cooper, John’s SCUBAnauts instructor, accompanied him on the trip. She described him as “an incredibly determined young man.”
“When he first expressed interest, I had reservations because it is a very specialized activity that requires extensive preparation, even beyond the training and experience he already had,” Cooper said. “But the more we talked about it, we developed a plan, and I knew he would put his all into getting ready.”
John navigates around an iceberg. (Photo by Becky Schott of Liquid Productions)
Their ship, the 300-foot Ortelius, left Ushuaia, Argentina, on Feb. 21. Diving into 32-degree waters, John and his team classified the icebergs they encountered, documenting their shape, color and size. While aboard, he participated in a livestreamed informational video for elementary school students around the world. John and Amy Moran, a marine biologist at the University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa, showed viewers their extensive gear and described the wildlife they had observed on the trip: whales, leopard seals, sea spiders, sea anemones, plankton, limpets, sea stars and three species of penguins.
“You’re the youngest person I know of who has ever dived in the Antarctic,” Moran told John during the livestream.
A lofty accomplishment, sure, but it pales in comparison to John’s ultimate aspiration of becoming a mission commander astronaut specializing in Mars exploration.
“My hope is to help others reach for their goals and dream big because even something that sounds as impossible as diving in Antarctica at 15 is not if you have the drive to do it,” John said. “You just have to know it’s possible.”
###
ABOUT UF/IFAS
The mission of the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS) is to develop knowledge relevant to agricultural, human and natural resources and to make that knowledge available to sustain and enhance the quality of human life. With more than a dozen research facilities, 67 county Extension offices, and award-winning students and faculty in the UF College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, UF/IFAS brings science-based solutions to the state’s agricultural and natural resources industries, and all Florida residents. 
ifas.ufl.edu  |  @UF_IFAS
ABOUT FLORIDA 4-H
4-H is the youth development program of the land-grant university system and Cooperative Extension System. The program provides hands-on educational programs and experiences for youth ages 5 to 18 with the objective of developing youth as individuals, and as responsible and productive citizens. In Florida, 4-H is administered by University of Florida/IFAS Extension and Florida A&M University.

John Humphreys had never seen snow in person until he ventured to Buffalo, New York in January — to scuba dive. Just a month later, the 15-year-old Tampa resident and 4-H member was navigating underwater around Antarctic icebergs. Now back from his nearly three-week journey, John plans to spend most of his summer analyzing iceberg-related […]

Florida teen spearheads Antarctic scuba research

Great Goliath Grouper Count This is the 15th year of the Great Goliath Grouper Count, scheduled to take place June 1 through June 16, 2024! The Great Goliath Grouper Count is a collaboration between Florida Sea Grant and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) that uses recreational divers to collect the number, size [&#8230;]

<figure id="attachment_2447" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2447" style="width: 300px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/monroeco/files/2024/05/Goliath-Grouper-2-credit-Florida-Sea-Grant.jpg"><img decoding="async" class="wp-image-2447 size-medium lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="300" height="240" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/monroeco/files/2024/05/Goliath-Grouper-2-credit-Florida-Sea-Grant-300x240.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-2447" class="wp-caption-text">Goliath Grouper. Credit: Florida Sea Grant</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Great Goliath Grouper Count</h3>
This is the 15th year of the <a href="https://www.flseagrant.org/citizenscience/great-goliath-grouper-count/">Great Goliath Grouper Count</a>, scheduled to take place June 1 through June 16, 2024! The Great Goliath Grouper Count is a collaboration between <a href="https://www.flseagrant.org/">Florida Sea Grant</a> and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) that uses recreational divers to collect the number, size class, and locations of goliath grouper in Florida. During the first two weeks of June, trained divers count goliath grouper at artificial reefs and wrecks. This is a cooperative research project between scientists and the recreational diving community to help obtain data to provide information on abundance and size distribution across the state. Since its initiation in 2010, the Great Goliath Grouper Count has continued to expand from southwest Florida and now incorporates sites from the Florida Keys, northern Gulf of Mexico, and the east coast of Florida. Over the past fourteen years, nearly 1,000 surveys have been submitted and divers have spent more than 470 hours under water looking for these very large groupers that can grow up to 8 feet long and weight over 800 pounds!
<h3>History of Overfishing</h3>
Considering how large a goliath grouper can grow, they were historically pretty easy to catch, especially by spearfishing underwater. This is likely in part because goliath grouper show a lot of curiosity when they see a diver underwater.  If you have ever dove with a goliath grouper you know it is not unusual for them to follow you around &#8212; it is very thrilling to be nose-to-nose with a 300+ pound fish! Unfortunately, overfishing became a problem and the goliath grouper was closed to all harvest in 1990 because it was overfished for many years. Although since the spring of 2023 there has been a very limited <a href="https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/goliath/#harvest">Goliath Harvest Program in Florida</a> state waters with up to 200 permits available each year, awarded on a lottery basis following an application and fee. For more information, slot limits, and closed areas please visit the FWC website. There is still no legal harvesting allowed in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean.
<figure id="attachment_2455" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-2455" style="width: 603px" class="wp-caption alignleft"><a href="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/monroeco/files/2024/05/goliath-at-reef-credit-fsg.jpg"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-2455 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="" width="603" height="350" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/monroeco/files/2024/05/goliath-at-reef-credit-fsg-300x174.jpg"></a><figcaption id="caption-attachment-2455" class="wp-caption-text">Goliath grouper at an artificial reef. Credit: Florida Sea Grant</figcaption></figure>
The Great Goliath Grouper Count was established in part due to the difficulty to obtain stock assessment information on a species that is not being fished, because there is limited fisheries dependent data collected on species where no harvest or possession is allowed.  <a href="https://asmfc.org/fisheries-science/fisheries-science-101">Fisheries dependent data</a> is the kind that is provided via commercial and recreational fishing.  <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/inport/item/10728">Fisheries independent data</a> is the kind that is collected by scientists and natural resource management agencies like NOAA Fisheries or the FWC in Florida.  Basically, the Great Goliath Grouper Count is a non-lethal way to collect goliath grouper data and the community is helping the fish biologists measure their populations every June.
<h3>Goliath Grouper Life History</h3>
Goliath groupers spend their first 5-6 years of life in shallow waters associated with mangroves. The 10,000 Islands in southwest Florida and the Everglades are very important juvenile habitats.  Juveniles are especially vulnerable to cold snaps, marine heatwaves, and algal blooms like red tide, which have caused a lot of mortality. They mature around 36” in length when they move offshore to coral reefs, wrecks, and artificial reefs. They have a maximum known age of 37 years and very likely live to 50 or even 100 years of age. A study by Florida State University found 85% of their diet is crustaceans and the rest slow moving fish, although they are opportunistic feeders and many have learned how to take an easy meal from anglers. Adult goliath groupers have small home ranges, and once they find a suitable spot they tend to stay there year around until breeding season. Tagged goliath grouper are documented to swim 100 miles or more to spawning aggregations, where hundreds of individuals converge to mate.
<h3>How to Participate</h3>
If you are interested in participating in the Great Goliath Grouper Count, there is a training video located at <a href="https://nam10.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.flseagrant.org%2Fcitizenscience%2Fgreat-goliath-grouper-count%2F&amp;data=05%7C02%7Cshellykrueger%40ufl.edu%7Ca2dd9060de404fc66ad908dc5ce2f470%7C0d4da0f84a314d76ace60a62331e1b84%7C0%7C0%7C638487377588699379%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C0%7C%7C%7C&amp;sdata=Mgdv0D%2FGFdHfFrfH1dm6L93YTQ%2BP0z0nt9uNWO6Gy8U%3D&amp;reserved=0">https://www.flseagrant.org/citizenscience/great-goliath-grouper-count/</a>. You can also call 305-292-4502 or email <a href="mailto:shellykrueger@ufl.edu">shellykrueger@ufl.edu</a> and I can teach you how to perform a roving dive, count the grouper you see, and record the 3 size classes (0-3 feet, 3-5 feet, greater than 5 feet). Please reach out if you have any questions, or need waterproof data sheets.  All photo credits Florida Sea Grant.
&nbsp;
&nbsp;
&nbsp;

Goliath Grouper. Credit: Florida Sea Grant
Great Goliath Grouper Count
This is the 15th year of the Great Goliath Grouper Count, scheduled to take place June 1 through June 16, 2024! The Great Goliath Grouper Count is a collaboration between Florida Sea Grant and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) that uses recreational divers to collect the number, size class, and locations of goliath grouper in Florida. During the first two weeks of June, trained divers count goliath grouper at artificial reefs and wrecks. This is a cooperative research project between scientists and the recreational diving community to help obtain data to provide information on abundance and size distribution across the state. Since its initiation in 2010, the Great Goliath Grouper Count has continued to expand from southwest Florida and now incorporates sites from the Florida Keys, northern Gulf of Mexico, and the east coast of Florida. Over the past fourteen years, nearly 1,000 surveys have been submitted and divers have spent more than 470 hours under water looking for these very large groupers that can grow up to 8 feet long and weight over 800 pounds!
History of Overfishing
Considering how large a goliath grouper can grow, they were historically pretty easy to catch, especially by spearfishing underwater. This is likely in part because goliath grouper show a lot of curiosity when they see a diver underwater.  If you have ever dove with a goliath grouper you know it is not unusual for them to follow you around — it is very thrilling to be nose-to-nose with a 300+ pound fish! Unfortunately, overfishing became a problem and the goliath grouper was closed to all harvest in 1990 because it was overfished for many years. Although since the spring of 2023 there has been a very limited Goliath Harvest Program in Florida state waters with up to 200 permits available each year, awarded on a lottery basis following an application and fee. For more information, slot limits, and closed areas please visit the FWC website. There is still no legal harvesting allowed in federal waters of the Gulf of Mexico or Atlantic Ocean.
Goliath grouper at an artificial reef. Credit: Florida Sea Grant
The Great Goliath Grouper Count was established in part due to the difficulty to obtain stock assessment information on a species that is not being fished, because there is limited fisheries dependent data collected on species where no harvest or possession is allowed.  Fisheries dependent data is the kind that is provided via commercial and recreational fishing.  Fisheries independent data is the kind that is collected by scientists and natural resource management agencies like NOAA Fisheries or the FWC in Florida.  Basically, the Great Goliath Grouper Count is a non-lethal way to collect goliath grouper data and the community is helping the fish biologists measure their populations every June.
Goliath Grouper Life History
Goliath groupers spend their first 5-6 years of life in shallow waters associated with mangroves. The 10,000 Islands in southwest Florida and the Everglades are very important juvenile habitats.  Juveniles are especially vulnerable to cold snaps, marine heatwaves, and algal blooms like red tide, which have caused a lot of mortality. They mature around 36” in length when they move offshore to coral reefs, wrecks, and artificial reefs. They have a maximum known age of 37 years and very likely live to 50 or even 100 years of age. A study by Florida State University found 85% of their diet is crustaceans and the rest slow moving fish, although they are opportunistic feeders and many have learned how to take an easy meal from anglers. Adult goliath groupers have small home ranges, and once they find a suitable spot they tend to stay there year around until breeding season. Tagged goliath grouper are documented to swim 100 miles or more to spawning aggregations, where hundreds of individuals converge to mate.
How to Participate
If you are interested in participating in the Great Goliath Grouper Count, there is a training video located at https://www.flseagrant.org/citizenscience/great-goliath-grouper-count/. You can also call 305-292-4502 or email shellykrueger@ufl.edu and I can teach you how to perform a roving dive, count the grouper you see, and record the 3 size classes (0-3 feet, 3-5 feet, greater than 5 feet). Please reach out if you have any questions, or need waterproof data sheets.  All photo credits Florida Sea Grant.

Great Goliath Grouper Count This is the 15th year of the Great Goliath Grouper Count, scheduled to take place June 1 through June 16, 2024! The Great Goliath Grouper Count is a collaboration between Florida Sea Grant and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) that uses recreational divers to collect the number, size […]

Looking for recreational divers to participate in the Great Goliath Grouper Count!

Looking for a fun and relaxing evening activity? Something that might be more fulfilling than collapsing on the couch? Why not try&#8230; mothing? What&#8217;s mothing? Mothing is forging out into the natural world (i.e., your yard or your street) armed with nothing but a phone and maybe an old bedsheet to find out what moths [&#8230;]

Looking for a fun and relaxing evening activity? Something that might be more fulfilling than collapsing on the couch? Why not try&#8230; mothing?
<img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="alignnone wp-image-4153 lazyload" title="Moth on a palm frond. UF/IFAS photo by Cat Wofford" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="A tan moth with large, striking chocolate patches bordered in bright white and red clings to a palm frond. Its antennae are feathery and bright orange." width="600" height="399" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/edis/files/2024/05/027540-1024x681.jpg">
<h3>What&#8217;s mothing?</h3>
Mothing is forging out into the natural world (i.e., your yard or your street) armed with nothing but a phone and maybe an old bedsheet to find out what moths may be flitting about in your environs.
A recent Ask IFAS publication, &#8220;<a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/publication/UW518">Magnificent Moths: A Guide to Begin &#8216;Mothing&#8217; and Contributing Your Observations to iNaturalist</a>,&#8221; explains how you can become a moth adventurer. &#8220;Magnificent Moths&#8221; has everything you need whether you&#8217;re just giving mothing a try once or whether you discover you really enjoy it and want to seek out cool state-of-the-art mothing equipment like a black light or a moth trap. Best of all, &#8220;Magnificent Moths&#8221; shows you how to take good, clear photos of the moths you find so that you can upload them to iNaturalist and contribute to our growing body of knowledge about moths.
<figure id="attachment_4155" aria-describedby="caption-attachment-4155" style="width: 600px" class="wp-caption alignnone"><img decoding="async" loading="lazy" class="wp-image-4155 lazyload" src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAAAAACH5BAEKAAEALAAAAAABAAEAAAICTAEAOw==" alt="A poster titled &quot;Moths of Florida&quot; showing photos of dozens of moths and listing their common names" width="600" height="776" data-src="https://blogs.ifas.ufl.edu/edis/files/2024/05/all-the-moths-791x1024.jpg"><figcaption id="caption-attachment-4155" class="wp-caption-text">Maybe you can find all of these!</figcaption></figure>
<h3>Your discoveries can help scientists learn about moths.</h3>
iNaturalist is a website dedicated to helping you become a citizen scientist. You can use it to identify moths you find and get reliable help confirming your identifications. And you can upload photos of your discoveries to help other moth enthusiasts using the site. You&#8217;re not limited to just moths, either! Platforms like iNaturalist are helping to find and map many hundreds of species of plants and animals. You can contribute, grow your skills, and join scientists and naturalists in learning more about the natural world.
Learn more about citizen science on<a href="https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/topics/citizen-science"> the Ask IFAS citizen science topic page</a>.
&nbsp;

Looking for a fun and relaxing evening activity? Something that might be more fulfilling than collapsing on the couch? Why not try… mothing?

What’s mothing?
Mothing is forging out into the natural world (i.e., your yard or your street) armed with nothing but a phone and maybe an old bedsheet to find out what moths may be flitting about in your environs.
A recent Ask IFAS publication, “Magnificent Moths: A Guide to Begin ‘Mothing’ and Contributing Your Observations to iNaturalist,” explains how you can become a moth adventurer. “Magnificent Moths” has everything you need whether you’re just giving mothing a try once or whether you discover you really enjoy it and want to seek out cool state-of-the-art mothing equipment like a black light or a moth trap. Best of all, “Magnificent Moths” shows you how to take good, clear photos of the moths you find so that you can upload them to iNaturalist and contribute to our growing body of knowledge about moths.
Maybe you can find all of these!
Your discoveries can help scientists learn about moths.
iNaturalist is a website dedicated to helping you become a citizen scientist. You can use it to identify moths you find and get reliable help confirming your identifications. And you can upload photos of your discoveries to help other moth enthusiasts using the site. You’re not limited to just moths, either! Platforms like iNaturalist are helping to find and map many hundreds of species of plants and animals. You can contribute, grow your skills, and join scientists and naturalists in learning more about the natural world.
Learn more about citizen science on the Ask IFAS citizen science topic page.

Looking for a fun and relaxing evening activity? Something that might be more fulfilling than collapsing on the couch? Why not try… mothing? What’s mothing? Mothing is forging out into the natural world (i.e., your yard or your street) armed with nothing but a phone and maybe an old bedsheet to find out what moths […]

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In an ongoing quest to bridge the information gap between the scientific community and Florida's citizenry, LAKEWATCH has assembled this series of information circulars that provide a basic introduction to the terminology and concepts used in today's water management arena.

Beginner's Guide to Water Management series

Voluntary public participation in the scientific process, addressing real-world problems in ways that may include formulating research questions, conducting scientific experiments, collecting and analyzing data, interpreting results, making new discoveries, developing technologies and applications, for solving complex problems.

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director, Florida LAKEWATCH, Program in Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences, UF/IFAS School of Forest Fisheries and Geomatics Sciences, Gainesville, FL <a href="https://vivo.ufl.edu/display/n48634">VIVO profile</a>

Hoyer, Mark V

Hostetler, Mark E.

Callaghan, Corey

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Research is a process of systematic inquiry that entails collection of data; documentation of critical information; and analysis and interpretation of that data/information, in accordance with suitable methodologies set by specific professional fields and academic disciplines. (<a href="https://www.hampshire.edu/what-research">source</a>)

The terms used for Ask IFAS organization are selected with consideration of the terminology used in UF/IFAS publications and programs, as well as the terms recommended by the U.S. National Agricultural Library Thesaurus (NALT) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization's AGROVOC thesaurus.&nbsp;

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BioBlitzes: Citizen Science for Biodiversity in Florida

Florida Monitoring Program: Point Count Method to Survey Birds

Florida Monitoring Program: Transect Method for Surveying Birds

Herping Adventures: A Guide to Exploring and Documenting Reptiles and Amphibians with iNaturalist

Lessons Learned from Evaluations of Citizen Science Programs

Magnificent Moths: A Guide to Begin “Mothing” and Contributing Your Observations to iNaturalist

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Florida teen spearheads Antarctic scuba research

Looking for recreational divers to participate in the Great Goliath Grouper Count!

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