Abstract
Background
With the creation of photo-based plant identification applications (apps), the ability to attain basic identifications of plants in the field is seemingly available to anyone who has access to a smartphone. The use of such apps as an educational tool for students and a major identification resource as for some community science projects calls into question the accuracy of the identifications they provide. We created a study to provide some context with our local tree species to provide an informed response to students asking for guidance in choosing a tool for their support in classes.
Methods
Six mobile plant identification apps were tested on a set of 440 photographs representing the leaves and bark of 55 tree species common to the state of New Jersey.
Results
Of the six apps tested, PictureThis was the most accurate followed by iNaturalist with PlantSnap failing to offer consistently accurate identifications. Overall, these apps are much more accurate in identifying leaf photos as compared to bark photos, and while these apps offer consistently accurate identifications to the genus-level, there seems to be little accuracy in successfully identifying photos to the species level.
Conclusions
Therefore, while these apps cannot replace traditional field identification for these trees, they can be used with high confidence as a tool to assist inexperienced or unsure arborists, foresters or ecologists by helping to refine the pool of possible species for further identification.