NELOS divers use WoRMS in digital dive log: a step toward citizen science

Thanks to this new feature, NELOS members can now record the marine species they observe during their dives, using a direct connection to the scientifically validated WoRMS database. The built-in search function, based on Dutch common names, automatically provides the correct scientific names and associated AphiaIDs.

The data collected during dives is rich and detailed: time, location (with GPS coordinates), water temperature (from dive computers), species names, and depth ranges are all logged. Divers can also consult a personalized dashboard (built in Grafana) to visualize their individual species sightings over time, enhancing both user experience and educational value.

“If users begin consistently recording what they observe, this could become a valuable data source for researchers,” NELOS noted. With more than 70,000 registered dives in 2024 alone, the potential is significant.

The integration was fully developed by the NELOS IT team based on the openly available WoRMS web service documentation. They are using the AphiaRecordsByVernacular API to retrieve species information, and store the unique AphiaIDs with each observation. This creates a strong link between citizen observations and a trusted taxonomic reference system.

LifeWatch Belgium warmly welcomes NELOS as a new user of the WoRMS web services. This collaboration demonstrates how digital tools in the recreational sector can contribute to citizen science and marine biodiversity research.

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Photo credit: Paul Focke (VLIZ)