Users ranking

In Pl@ntNet, every user has a weight that reflects their level of contribution and expertise. This weight is used to rank users and determine their influence on the platform.

1. Initial weight

When you sign up for Pl@ntNet, you start with a base weight. This initial weight is relatively low, but it increases as you contribute.

2. How weight is calculated

A user’s weight depends on two main elements:

• Species observations: If you make observations and they are validated (meaning the species identification is correct and the species name is valid), this increases your weight.

• Votes on other users’ observations: If you vote on others’ observations, this also contributes to your weight, but to a lesser extent than your own observations. Votes on observations already validated by others are taken into account, provided the species name is correct.

3. Adjusted weight

Your weight can be adjusted based on your activity:

• Weight for observations: Your observations count more than your votes. This means that if you add quality observations, your weight will increase faster than if you only vote.

• Weight for votes: Your votes are taken into account, but they have a smaller impact than your observations. Indeed, Pl@ntNet considers that users who add new observations are more active and engaged than those who only vote.

4. Special cases

• Fixed weight: Some users may have a weight set manually by administrators, generally for those who do not follow the platform’s rules or who make incorrect contributions.

• Minimal weight: New users, particularly those who already have botanical knowledge, may be assigned a minimal weight to prevent them from starting with a weight that is too low. However, their actual weight can never be lower than this minimal weight.

5. Validity of observations

For an observation to be considered valid, it must meet several criteria:

• It must contain at least one correct image (meaning an image that is not blurry and corresponds to the identified species).

• It must not be marked as invalid or “noplant” by the community.

• It must have a correct identification and a sufficient identification probability.

• Other technical criteria, such as the user not being blocked, can also influence validity.

In summary, the more you contribute by adding valid observations and voting relevantly, the more your weight will increase, and the more you will be recognized as an active and reliable user on the platform.