To understand and track how animals respond to global changes, researchers need accurate and timely estimates of species distributions.<\/p>\n
Typically, ecologists rely on range maps created by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) and its commissions of scientists and experts. These maps illustrate suitable habitats and where animal species are likely to occur \u2014 but they risk representing too broad an area.<\/p>\n
Additionally, the IUCN typically updates its range maps every eight years; however, tracking how animals are responding to global changes may require more frequent updates.<\/p>\n
For these reasons, Alex J. Jensen, an NC State ecologist and research scholar who\u2019s a postdoctoral fellow at the NC Museum of Natural Sciences\u2019 Biodiversity Lab, is utilizing a large-scale citizen science data platform called iNaturalist to better understand the range expansion of 94 North American mammals.<\/p>\n