BioDEX

Team Name

BioACT

Team Members

Project Description

BioDEX is an interactive mobile application that stores flora and fauna data when the user collects and records each individual. The application interacts with previous collected data on species locations and attributes and will continue to update these data sources.

The BioDEX application is targeted at the younger generations to engage more with the environment and biodiversity within the ACT. The application will include a game like index collector, leaderboard, and achievements to make it more appealing to the younger generation. This app will provide an interactive map of the species locations, habitat types and will include a search option.

Data collected from the users can be used by the local authorities to identify where the species may be located, the habitat and if there is a new data or a change to the existing data or not. The local authorities then can produce new datasets or heatmaps for species information. The local authority will also be able to recognise what areas need conservation or environmental management based on the collected data.

Data Story

With the increase in phone reliance and capabilities, creating an application to engage the younger generations about the Australian environment is most suitable. The increase in environmental degradation through climate change and urbanization calls for action from the new generations. Without regulations around protected habitats and species or initiative to protect species, the significance of the environment would be irrelevant. However, through education about the native species of flora and fauna in the ACT, environmental conservation will be on the forefront of the younger generation.

Our team has used five different data sets which cover a range of identified protected and rare habitats and species of flora, fauna, and aquatic biodiversity. Analysis of each polygon for present species and the habitat types they were found in was the most suitable output for the BioDEX application. The following attributes are conceptualized to be extracted, and able to be identified and searched through BioDEX:
- Habitat class
- Species
- Rareness/protected or not
- Species presence
- Species abundance

In using these data attributes, the species can be correctly identified, and updated ecosystem types can be attained. The limited attributes collected also allows for easier collection of further data from any mobile device if there is GPS location and an accessible camera. The real time updates from users’ collections of species will conceptually auto-update the interactive map and local authority data sets of relevance.