Una de las herramientas que mas ha avanzado en los estudios de campo  de biología y ecología ha sido el surgimiento y generalización  de los móviles o teléfonos inteligentes (Smartphones). La unificación en un mismo aparato de herramientas básicas (GPS, Brújula, Cámara, grabadora, bloc de notas, cronómetro, etc.) además de llamar o conectarse por WIFI o Blue tooth, los han convertido en elementos imprescindibles, que permiten ahorrar mucho tiempo, eliminan muchos errores de transcripción de las fichas y trabajos de campo.

Hay muchos grupos que están desarrollado o recopilando APPs, entre ellos podemos destacar:

ATREE Young Researchers Network Blog Submissions.  https://ayrnstories.wordpress.com/2017/08/09/apps-in-ecological-research/

BRUNA LIST .-This list was created by emilio m. bruna and his class at the University of Florida (Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation).  http://brunalab.org/apps/

Project Noah is a tool to explore and document wildlife and a platform to harness the power of citizen scientists everywhere. http://www.projectnoah.org/mobile

Apps on the Fulcrum platform, you have the ability to configure and customize our template apps to fit your specific needs and you can export data into a multitude of formats, including CSV, Microsoft Excel, Esri shapefile, and much more.  https://www.fulcrumapp.com/blog/field-biologist-app-roundup/

Unos ejemplos básicos los podemos encontrar a continuación, extraídos de la lista creada por    emilio m. bruna  y sus alumnos de la University of Florida (Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation)

Data Entry & Recording Observations

• EpiCollect

• EpiSurveyor

• KoBoToolbox

• iFormBuilder

• Ushahidi

• SciSpy

• Project Noah

• Inaturalist

• Map of Life

• SciSpy

• Pendragon Forms (Windows Mobile only)

• Easy Data

• AmigoCloud: geospatial platform that helps you collect, manage, analyze, visualize, and publish your location data.

• Open Data Kit: includes built in publish data function to send completed data to an online database and from there, link in with Google’s Fusion Tables and Earth.

• Fulcrum

• iMapInvasives: all-taxa invasive species mapping tool; workes via phone’s web browser

• CyberTracker

• WildObs

• PhenomApp: collect plant phenotypes in the field using Android tablets and smart phones

• Sightings, by Stewart Macdonald

• Observation Logger: logging observations of behavioral data

• Neukadye Timestamped Field Notes (quick behavioral observations notes)

• Tally Counters by Thomas Tsopanakis: a clean, simple, customizable counter

• Tally Counter Pro by Pixel Research Labs.

• Neukadye Timestamped Field Data (counters, timers, note for species time budget recording)

• Neukadye Field Journal (timestamped & geo-located notes; ean export to the cloud.

•  CitSci.org: designed for developing Citizen Science projects/data collection apps but looks to have utility far beyond that.

• Germinate Scan: barcode scanning and data recording

• Canopeo by Oklahoma State University: analysis of forest canopy cover (iOS)

• Canopy Cover Free: measures % Canopy Cover non-destructively using camera. (Android OS)

• Easy Leaf Area: measure leaf area non-destructively  (Android OS)

• LeafScan: leaf area measurments (iOS)

• Petiole: leaf area measuremnts (Android OS)

• Leaf-IT: leaf area measurements (Android OS)

• Gap Light analysis Mobile Apps (Android OS): analysis of hemispherical photographs taken in forests and calculation of Canopy Cover Index.