PlanktoBox Database

World Plankton Mapping is a global citizen science initiative that leverages the PlanktoBox kit to create a centralized, crowdsourced database of plankton diversity. Participants (students, researchers, citizen scientists) can upload images, sampling site details, and environmental data directly from the field. This project aims to build a georeferenced digital atlas of plankton, enabling comparisons across regions, seasons, and ecosystems. By combining visual evidence (microscope images) with metadata (location, time, water conditions), the database contributes to:
1) Ecological monitoring: detecting plankton bloom events and potential HAB risks.
Education & outreach: engaging communities in marine science awareness.
2) Research support: providing open-access plankton occurrence data for scientists worldwide.
3) Through PlanktoWatch, every uploaded record becomes part of a larger narrative about how tiny plankton drive ocean health, fisheries productivity, and climate balance.