MINKA

Citizen Observatory

MINKA is a citizen science platform available to people and communities for collecting biodiversity and environmental data, supporting the monitoring of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) indicators. Accessible via web and mobile apps (iOS and Android), it connects scientific expertise with public participation, enabling users to contribute geolocated observations with images, participate in thematic projects, and explore data through interactive visualizations. A collaborative validation system ensures data quality through expert and community review. The platform integrates features for biological record management, user-created data collection campaigns, social networking, and a journal for community knowledge sharing. Continuously evolving, MINKA expands its focus beyond biodiversity to broader environmental monitoring.

MINKA is coordinated by the EMBIMOS research group in the Institut of Ciències del Mar (ICM-CSIC). MINKA is recognised as a UN Acceleration Action for SDGs, as well as contributes significantly to SDGs 11, 14, 15, and 17 by working with diverse stakeholders. Also, MINKA is part of the EU Mission “Restore our Ocean and Waters” and has been endorsed as a Decade Action, forming part of the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development 2021-2030 by UNESCO.

Basic Technologies Used

MINKA employs a diverse range of technologies and frameworks to ensure efficient data collection, validation, and user experience enhancement.
Key components include:

Collaborative Validation of Observations

Observations are validated through collective review by participants, experts, and automated processes, enhancing data quality and reliability.

Use of Global Standards

Data management follows established global standards to facilitate integration, sharing, and reuse across platforms and institutions.

Compatibility with Global Biodiversity Standards

The data structure aligns with widely accepted biodiversity data standards such as Darwin Core, ensuring interoperability with global databases like GBIF and research initiatives.

Full Stack Web Application

Built on Ruby on Rails, serving as the backbone for data management and user interaction.

Front-end Technologies

Developed within the Ruby on Rails routing system, incorporating various JavaScript frameworks.

API Services

Implemented using NodeJS, facilitating third-party integration and front-end interactions. API endpoints follow the Open API standard, documented at MINKA API.

Search Engine

Elasticsearch enables scalable indexing of observations, identifications, places, users, and other entities.

Database Management

Uses PostgreSQL, with PostGIS extensions for handling geospatial data.

Background Processing

Ruby on Rails job queues, supported by PostgreSQL, handle resource-intensive tasks like user notifications.

Interoperability

Supports data exchange in CSV, JSON, and Darwin Core (DwC) formats.

Legal and Privacy Compliance

Implements GDPR-compliant terms of use, privacy policies, and a consent management framework.

Usefulness in GUARDEN Case Studies

Spanish case study: BioPlatgesMet a citizen science project for urban beaches management

The implementation of MINKA public participation tools was centred around the Spanish case study. Focusing on this citizen science-based case study allowed the project to prototype, implement, and test a cycle from data collection to visualization to deliberation. The implementation of citizen science technologies requires the articulation of both social and technological components.

MINKA developed a data flow across the public participation tools refined or created under GUARDEN, starting from data collection in the MINKA platform. Using an API, the data is passed to a dashboard, visualised and summarised in a “highlights” section. This dashboard section consolidates critical information specifically tailored for Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB), the primary stakeholder, to inform actionable items. The aggregated data supports planning activities such as beach cleaning and invasive species removal, with updates provided at regular intervals based on AMB’s requirements.

Additionally, the MINKA data and dashboard are connected to two platforms: the virtual assistant and the forum. The AI virtual assistant is a chatbot that utilizes MINKA data to create reports and conversational environments to support and facilitate user comprehension of the data. The community forum where members discuss insights, results, and potential actions based on triggers from the das. This integration of the dashboard and forum fosters active community engagement and provides a feedback loop that enhances decision-making and collaborative problem-solving.