Article
Environmental Sciences
Paula Kasten, Stuart R. Jenkins, Ronaldo A. Christofoletti
Summary: The authors of this article shared their experiences, results, and lessons learned from creating a coastal biodiversity participatory monitoring initiative. The study found that with proper training, citizen scientists have the potential to contribute valuable biodiversity data. Despite some differences between specialists and participants, the data collected by citizen scientists was deemed reliable with appropriate protocols.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biology
Corey T. Callaghan, Alistair G. B. Poore, Thomas Mesaglio, Angela T. Moles, Shinichi Nakagawa, Christopher Roberts, Jodi J. L. Rowley, Adriana VergEs, John H. Wilshire, William K. Cornwell
Summary: Citizen science is playing an increasingly important role in biodiversity research, but is underrepresented in current research papers. Three frontiers of citizen science research are proposed, including sampling undersampled areas, utilizing the unique abilities of citizen science, and reducing biases in global biodiversity data sets. The contribution of citizen science to understanding key biodiversity questions should be fully realized.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Mariana Cardoso-Andrade, Frederico Cruz-Jesus, Jesus Souza Troncoso, Henrique Queiroga, Jorge M. S. Gonsalves
Summary: Environmental and nature conservation authorities are calling for a collective effort to break or reduce the current cycle of environmental degradation, with a set of guidelines provided to achieve citizen engagement and retention in CS coastal environment monitoring projects.
GLOBAL ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE-HUMAN AND POLICY DIMENSIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Michael Gilbert Mwango'mbe, Jane Spilsbury, Steve Trott, Judith Nyunja, Nina Wambiji, Tim Collins, Ines Gomes, Sergi Perez-Jorge
Summary: Established in 2011, the Kenya Marine Mammal Network (KMMN) aims to collect data on marine mammals along the Kenyan coast and promote marine mammal conservation through participative citizen science. Data collated by KMMN shows that the Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin and Indian Ocean humpback dolphin are the most frequently reported inshore species along the Kenyan coast, while killer whales, short-finned pilot whales, and long-snouted spinner dolphins are common offshore species.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Magdalena Meissner
Summary: In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the potential of Repair Cafes for contributing to sustainability transformations among policymakers and academics. Narratives about Repair Cafes vary, with some linking to policy agendas and neighborhood regeneration, while others focus on civic activism and countering consumer culture. Research analyzed the importance of care in repair processes based on empirical data from Repair Cafe participants.
JOURNAL OF CLEANER PRODUCTION
(2021)
Article
Oceanography
Jialin Zhang, Shiquan Chen, Cheng Cheng, Yan Liu, Tim C. Jennerjahn
Summary: Citizen science plays an important role in coastal and marine ecosystem monitoring, but its use in the marine environment is currently limited. This study evaluates a seagrass citizen science monitoring case study conducted on the Chinese island of Hainan and challenges the traditional view of citizen science as a two-party relationship between researchers and volunteers. The evaluation shows that the impact of the project was limited, but both researchers and civil society benefit from participating in citizen science initiatives, serving as a bridge between academic institutions and civil society organizations. The study also outlines key features of citizen science projects that support marine conservation practice and policy.
OCEAN & COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Parker Randall Gassett, Katie O'Brien-Clayton, Carolina Bastidas, Jennie E. Rheuban, Christopher Hunt, Elizabeth Turner, Matthew Liebman, Emily Silva, Adam Pimenta, Jason. Grear, Jackie Motyka, Daniel McCorkle, Esperanza Stancioff, Damian Brady, Aaron Strong
Summary: To successfully adapt to Ocean and coastal acidification, extensive biogeochemical monitoring is necessary, and collaboration with community science programs can expand the coverage of current OCA research effectively.
COASTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Biotechnology & Applied Microbiology
Martin Holub, Ethan Agena
Summary: A biofoundry is an automated facility for processing biological samples, playing a significant role in accelerating innovation and product development in engineering biology. It brings public and private stakeholders together to share resources, develop standards, and foster collaborations on national and international levels. This paper argues for expanding the role of biofoundries in biosurveillance and biosecurity, providing an overview of these potential applications and identifying roadblocks to their realization.
FRONTIERS IN BIOENGINEERING AND BIOTECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Tahlia Perry, Alan Stenhouse, Isabella Wilson, Imma Perfetto, Michael W. McKelvey, Michelle Coulson, Rachel A. Ankeny, Peggy D. Rismiller, Frank Grutzner
Summary: The short-beaked echidna, an iconic Australian animal, faces threats such as habitat loss, roads, and invasive species. To gather more information about echidnas Australia-wide, the Echidna Conservation Science Initiative (EchidnaCSI) was established, engaging the public in citizen science research. This project successfully collected a significant amount of echidna data through public participation, demonstrating the potential of citizen science approaches for research on cryptic species.
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sinja Dittmann, Tim Kiessling, Linda Mederake, Mandy Hinzmann, Doris Knoblauch, Marianne Boehm-Beck, Katrin Knickmeier, Martin Thiel
Summary: Engaging the general public in research processes through citizen science allows for innovative scientific studies and makes science accessible. The citizen science program Plastic Pirates investigated plastic pollution of rivers and used communication strategies to achieve scientific and educational goals. Some challenges included time constraints, delayed data analysis, and limited personnel resources. Recommendations for citizen science practitioners include regular communication, using various channels, and providing feedback to participants.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joana M. Hancock, Jenni Choma, Leah Mainye, Paul Wambi, Martin R. Stelfox, Maximilian M. R. Polyak, Sammy Wambua, Stephanie Kohnk
Summary: Sea turtle in-water monitoring has been conducted in Diani-Chale National Marine Reserve in Kenya since 2018. The monitoring involves underwater surveys and the use of photographic identification as a non-invasive method to collect data on sea turtle occurrence and health status. The study found that a certain number of turtles have external tumors, and monitoring their progression can provide valuable insights into the disease extent.
FRONTIERS IN MARINE SCIENCE
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Ofer Arazy, Dan Malkinson
Summary: Citizen science is commonly used for biodiversity monitoring, but unstructured monitoring methods may lead to observer biases, affecting conclusions about species' spatio-temporal distribution trends. This study aims to understand observer biases in citizen science, developing a conceptual framework and utilizing a targeted questionnaire to address the issue.
FRONTIERS IN ECOLOGY AND EVOLUTION
(2021)
Review
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Michael O'Grady, Eleni Mangina
Summary: This paper explores the adoption of Responsible Research and Innovation (RRI) principles in citizen observatories. The results indicate a relatively simple but uneven and shallow adoption, which may reflect the ongoing evolution of RRI and the citizen observatory model. It is recommended that various actors integrate, promote, and report on how RRI principles are reflected in their activities.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tim Kiessling, Katrin Knickmeier, Katrin Kruse, Magdalena Gatta-Rosemary, Alice Nauendorf, Dennis Brennecke, Laura Thiel, Antje Wichels, Ilka Parchmann, Arne Koertzinger, Martin Thiel
Summary: The study found a significant amount of floating macroplastics and meso-/microplastics in rivers in Germany, with some hotspots potentially linked to plastic-producing industries, wastewater treatment plants, weirs, and residential areas. The identification of litter hotspots could lead to targeted mitigation measures to prevent further pollution.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
D. Fraisl, L. See, T. Sturn, S. MacFeely, A. Bowser, J. Campbell, I Moorthy, O. Danylo, I McCallum, S. Fritz
Summary: SDGs serve as a universal agenda for addressing global challenges, while official statistics may not be sufficient to provide all necessary data. Citizen science, such as the Picture Pile tool, offers a potential solution to complement traditional data sources for monitoring progress towards the SDGs. Collaboration and development are needed to fully utilize and showcase the potential of citizen science tools like Picture Pile for SDG monitoring.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & POLICY
(2022)