Contributions to publications and management plans from 7 years of citizen science: Use of a novel evaluation tool on Earthwatch-supported projects

Chandler, Mark; Rullman, Stan; Cousins, Jenny A.; Esmail, Nafeesa; Begin, Elise; Venicx, Gitte; Eisenberg, Cristina; Studer, Marie

doi:10.1016/j.biocon.2016.09.024

Cited by 42 publications

(35 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Ultimately, the success of this case study stemmed from the efforts of an interdisciplinary team that placed equal weight on research and educational objectives using a deliberate design process [ 30 , 6 ]. Despite the coordination required for such an approach, the educational, outreach and scientific benefits greatly offset the additional effort.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Building flux capacity: Citizen scientists increase resolution of soil greenhouse gas fluxes

et al. 2018

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Though citizen science programs have been broadly successful in diverse scientific fields, their adoption has lagged in some disciplines, including soil science and ecosystem ecology. Collaborations with citizen scientists may be viewed as a conundrum in these disciplines, which often require substantial labor and technical experience; citizen scientists could improve sampling capacity but may reduce sample quality or require training and oversight prior to and while performing specialized tasks. To demonstrate the feasibility of incorporating citizen scientists into soil biogeochemistry research, we conducted a proof-of-concept study in high-elevation meadows of the Sierra Nevada in California. A collaboration between university researchers and citizen scientists allowed us to assess spatial and diel patterns of soil greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes with an intensity and frequency that would otherwise be beyond the capacity of a typical research laboratory. This collaboration with citizen scientists increased our sampling intensity by over 700% while only doubling the sampling error relative to that of full-time researchers. With training and support from project scientists, citizen scientists collected data that demonstrate spatial independence of carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide at scales between 1 m and 175 m. Additionally, we found a lack of temporal variation over a 24-h period for all three GHGs. Citizen scientists participating in this one-day event reported levels of satisfaction commensurate with longer-term, immersive campaigns. The place-based event also proved an effective tool for teaching intangible concepts of soil biogeochemistry and promoting local conservation. Despite perceived barriers to entry, this study demonstrates the mutual benefits of citizen science collaborations in soil science and ecosystem ecology, encouraging adoption by disciplines that have been slow to take advantage of such collaborations. Short-term, local citizen science events can provide meaningful experiences for area residents and teach global biogeochemical cycles in a place-based context.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Despite these examples of successful collaborations, other disciplines, including soil science and ecosystem ecology, have been slower to adopt citizen science programs [ 5 , 6 ]. This latent adoption may be attributed to numerous perceived barriers to entry for ecologists and citizen scientists alike.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Building flux capacity: Citizen scientists increase resolution of soil greenhouse gas fluxes

et al. 2018

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“…Further reductions in costs can be achieved by using volunteers as detecting beach litter does not require expert knowledge and even the classification of litter can sometimes be done by volunteers (OSPAR, 2009). Involvement of volunteers in scientific research has been known as citizen science approach and when properly managed it has proven to be a reliable tool for gathering high quality data (Chandler et al, 2016) and the use of citizen science has been also encouraged when monitoring litter in the European seas (Galgani et al, 2010). Additional benefit of the citizen science approach is that it has raised awareness of the specific issue among volunteers and motivated them to engage (Runnel et al, 2016).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development of Beach Litter Monitoring on the Latvian Coastline: the Citizen Science Perspective

Cepuritis

Ulme²,

Bombiza

2021

Regional Formation and Development Studies

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The research analyses the beach litter monitoring programme in Latvia and provides suggestions for its improvement seeking to provide necessary information for effective marine litter management on the Latvian coastline of the Baltic Sea. The beach litter monitoring programme has been enacted since 2012 by NGO "FEE Latvia" and current research has been focused on the situation assessment and particularly provides analyses on a number and distribution of the surveyed beaches, the frequency and timing of the monitoring, litter classification and counting methodology, as well as the possible programme development using the NGO work based on the citizen science approach. The results allow to elaborate several suggestions on how to improve the programme in order to provide lacking information in Latvia on the implementation of the Marine Strategy Framework directive of European Union, and to advise local municipalities in their coastal waste management practices. The suggestions include the increasing number of monitoring sites, a prioritization of the EU Master list classification protocol and an increase of sites with higher frequency of monitoring (3 times per year). Moreover, in the conducted public survey, the beach visitors demonstrated good understanding of marine litter and highly prioritized the issue. The increased interest can add public participation to further development of this applied here citizen science approach.

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“…While this reflects the valid need to ensure that data are accurate and thus reliable for decision-making, it has also limited the scale of information input and information system support by a contributing public. Citizen scientists have demonstrated a strong will and capacity to contribute valuable biodiversity information (Amano et al 2016;Chandler et al 2016Chandler et al , 2017.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Envisioning a national invasive species information framework

et al. 2019

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With a view toward creating a national Early Detection and Rapid Response Program (EDRR) program, the United States National Invasive Species Council Management Plan for 2016-2018 calls for a series of assessments of federal EDRR capacities, including the evaluation of ''relevant federal information systems to provide the data and other information necessary for risk analyses/horizon scanning, rapid specimen identification, and rapid response planning.'' This paper is a response to that directive. We provide an overview of information management needs for enacting EDRR and discuss challenges to meeting these needs. We then review the history of relevant US policy directives for advancing invasive species information systems and provide an overview of federal invasive species information system capacities, including current gaps and inconsistencies. We conclude with a summary of key principles and needs for establishing a national invasive species information framework. Our findings are consistent with earlier studies and, thus, emphasize the need to act on long-recognized needs. As a supplement to this paper, we have cataloged federal invasive species databases and information tools identified through this work.

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Contributions to publications and management plans from 7 years of citizen science: Use of a novel evaluation tool on Earthwatch-supported projects

Cited by 42 publications

References 33 publications

Building flux capacity: Citizen scientists increase resolution of soil greenhouse gas fluxes

Building flux capacity: Citizen scientists increase resolution of soil greenhouse gas fluxes

Development of Beach Litter Monitoring on the Latvian Coastline: the Citizen Science Perspective

Envisioning a national invasive species information framework

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