FieldTaxa User Manual
Complete guide to all features of the app
Taxonomy Screen
Tap the Taxonomy tab in the bottom navigation bar.
The Taxonomy screen shows the full taxonomy tree with a collapse/expand control for each branch. Every node displays a badge showing the total number of sightings across all items classified under that node or any of its descendants.
Expanding and Collapsing Nodes
Tap the › chevron to the left of any node name to expand or collapse its children. The chevron rotates 90° when expanded.
Navigating to Observations
Tap a node name to open the Taxon Observations screen for that node, showing all items classified under it or any of its descendants.
Adding a Child Category
Tap the + button (small square, right side of a row) to add a new child category under that node. A dialog appears to enter the name. Tap Add to confirm.
Moving a Category (Rearranging the Tree)
If a species or category was inserted in the wrong branch, you can move it:
- Tap the move icon (folder with arrow, right side of the row, between + and the trash icon).
- A sheet opens listing Top level (root) and every other category in the tree (indented to show hierarchy). The current parent is greyed out and marked current; a category can never be moved into its own subtree.
- Tap the destination. The category — including all its child categories — is re-parented immediately.
Adding a Root-Level Category
Tap the Add category button at the bottom of the tree (dashed border) to add a new top-level category.
Deleting a Category
Tap the trash icon (red, right side of a row) to delete a category. A confirmation dialog warns that all child categories will also be deleted. Tap Delete to confirm.
> Deleting a category does not delete the observations tagged to it — those items remain in your library, simply without a category tag.
Taxon Observations Screen
Tap any node name to open the Taxon Observations screen for that node.
Header
- Node name is shown as the screen title.
- A sighting count badge (top-right) shows the total number of sightings across all matching items.
Stats Bar
| Stat | Meaning |
|---|---|
| First obs. | Date of the earliest captured item |
| Last obs. | Date of the most recent captured item |
| Locations | Number of sightings that have a GPS position |
Observation List
Each item appears as a card with:
- Thumbnail — the actual photo, or a map-pin icon for GPS-only items
- Taxonomy label — the innermost tag of the item
- Date — the capture date
- Sighting count badge — number of logged sightings (e.g. "3×")
- Sighting sub-rows — each logged sighting appears indented below the item card
Distribution & Frequency
Tap the chart icon (top-right of the Taxon Observations screen) to open the Distribution screen for that taxon — see the Distribution & Frequency chapter.