Article
Ecology
Corey T. Callaghan, Diana E. Bowler, Shane A. Blowes, Jonathan M. Chase, Mitchell B. Lyons, Henrique M. Pereira
Summary: Broad-scale biodiversity monitoring relies on citizen scientists. It is important to understand the spatial pattern of citizen scientists' sampling effort and its deviation from an optimal pattern. This study develops a workflow to estimate the optimal distribution of sampling effort for species diversity inference using citizen science data.
Article
Forestry
Zezhi Yang, Qingtai Shu, Liangshi Zhang, Xu Yang
Summary: By combining satellite-based LiDAR and optical remote sensing, the method proposed in this research improves the accuracy of monitoring forest tree species diversity while considering data cost. The findings demonstrate that the synergistic approach increased the prediction accuracy of tree species diversity compared to single remote sensing variation models.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ruth Y. Oliver, Carsten Meyer, Ajay Ranipeta, Kevin Winner, Walter Jetz
Summary: Despite rapid growth in data coverage, geographic and taxonomic biases persist in closing knowledge gaps for terrestrial vertebrates. In some taxa and regions, a surge in records did not lead to new knowledge due to a decline in sampling effectiveness. Countries demonstrate stronger coverage for species they have greater stewardship over.
Article
Biology
Corey T. Callaghan, Maureen Thompson, Adam Woods, Alistair G. B. Poore, Diana E. Bowler, Fabrice Samonte, Jodi J. L. Rowley, Nadiah Roslan, Richard T. Kingsford, William K. Cornwell, Richard E. Major
Summary: One way to improve the value of citizen science data is through promoting adaptive sampling. In a study using the FrogID project in Australia, it was found that participants were willing to adopt an adaptive sampling protocol, resulting in improved sampling of biodiversity. Adaptive sampling can increase the value of citizen science data for biodiversity research and project design.
Article
Plant Sciences
Jun Yang, Danqi Xing, Xiangyu Luo
Summary: Citizen science has been utilized in China to monitor urban woody plant diversity, with 275 participants submitting 4674 valid checklists. The identification accuracy by citizen scientists was 31.3%, improved with the addition of an automatic plant image identification function. Although lower participation and accuracy were observed compared to North American and European projects, the data collected are still valuable in understanding urban woody plant diversity in China.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Ellyne Geurts, John Reynolds, Brian Starzomski
Summary: The exponential growth of community science programs has generated vast amounts of biodiversity data. However, the opportunistic nature of these datasets leads to biases, such as spatial bias. This study tested the impact of fine-scale spatial bias from trails on taxonomic richness estimates, and found higher richness on trails compared to off trails. This result is promising for using iNaturalist data in research and conservation management.
Article
Forestry
Liubov Volkova, Haruni Krisnawati, Muhammad A. Qirom, Wahyu C. Adinugroho, Rinaldi Imanuddin, Freddy Jontara Hutapea, Michael A. McCarthy, Julian Di Stefano, Christopher J. Weston
Summary: Tropical peat swamp forests are home to diverse plant communities and endangered species. Disturbances such as drainage, logging, and fire threaten these forests. The recovery of tree species from these threats is still not well understood. A study in Central Borneo found that after two to three decades, the richness and diversity of tree species in regenerating peat swamp forests reached similar levels to relatively undisturbed reference forests. However, across landscapes, fires occurring every 50 or 100 years can significantly reduce tree species richness and diversity. The study also identified two groups of tree species, "decreasers" and "increasers," that drove the difference in richness and diversity between disturbed and reference forests.
FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Agriculture, Dairy & Animal Science
Janina Vanhoefen, Nick Schoeffski, Talia Haertel, Christoph Randler
Summary: This study assessed the ability of laypeople to estimate bird species richness in specific locations in southwest Germany. The results showed that laypeople generally had a good assessment of bird species richness in recreational areas, correlating with data from professionals. However, their estimation seemed to be influenced by factors other than actual bird sightings. The study highlights the importance of conducting professional surveys to accurately assess biodiversity.
Article
Ecology
Frank A. La Sorte, Marius Somveille
Summary: The study found that the eBird program tends to survey larger islands with intermediate climates that are more isolated. Over time, the number of islands surveyed annually increased, while island size decreased.
JOURNAL OF BIOGEOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Marine & Freshwater Biology
Ivan F. Rodil, Mariano Lastra
Summary: Our understanding of the response of macrofauna diversity patterns to the variability of sandy beaches across spatial scales is limited. Defining relationships between diversity and ecosystem productivity is key to understanding the ecological consequences of the current global rates of biodiversity loss. Through a study of 39 sandy beaches with varying environmental conditions and macrobenthic diversity, we found that there is a positive exponential relationship between macrofauna diversity and beach secondary production.
ESTUARINE COASTAL AND SHELF SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xinjun Wang, Martin Dallimer, Catherine E. Scott, Weiting Shi, Jixi Gao
Summary: By studying the tree community structure of greenspaces in Changzhou, China, it was found that indicators such as the Shannon-Wiener diversity index, tree species richness, and tree canopy coverage are closely related to the strength of the cooling effect, with varying seasonal impacts. Mean crown width is positively correlated with the cooling range in summer and autumn, while greenspace tree density is negatively correlated with the cooling range in winter.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Lala Hajibayova, L. P. Coladangelo, Heather A. Soyka
Summary: This study contributes to understanding citizen science by examining collaborative scientific communication and methods as a key component of theoretically driven projects. The findings demonstrate the application of diverse research methodologies to explore individual participation in science projects, including incentives and motivation. Citizen science research primarily focuses on natural and behavioral sciences, such as environmentalism, climate change, and motivations for becoming citizen scientists.
Article
Forestry
Chenhao Zhao, Yan Zhu, Jinghui Meng
Summary: Species richness and diversity have significant effects on forest structures and function, and serve as critical indicators for sustainable forest management. Sampling surveys are efficient in evaluating forest characteristics, but require appropriate plot designs. This study evaluated the effects of plot design on estimating species richness and diversity using simulation, and found significant differences among different plot designs. Cluster plot designs outperformed single plot designs in evaluating species richness and diversity in temperate forests.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Christopher J. Butler, Chad King, Dan L. Reinking
Summary: The study found that there is weak correlation between the records of bird species among different citizen science methods, while the number of conservation bird species is correlated with the total number of species detected, county area, and precipitation.
Article
Ornithology
Birgita D. Hansen, Danny Rogers, Doug Watkins, Dan R. Weller, Robert S. Clemens, Mike Newman, Eric J. Woehler, Taej Mundkur, Richard A. Fuller
Summary: Population estimates are crucial for conservation decisions, but obtaining accurate estimates for migratory species is challenging. This study presents analytical approaches for revising population estimates of migratory shorebird species in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. The methods involved summarizing count data, spatial extrapolation, and modeling based on breeding range and density. Expert review was used to adjust the estimates. The study highlights the importance of flexible approaches in providing useful information for conservation policy and planning.
Article
Ecology
Joshua S. Lee, Corey T. Callaghan, William K. Cornwell
Summary: Large and severe fires, known as mega-fires, are becoming more frequent worldwide, affecting ecosystems with long intervals between fires. The 2019-2020 Australian bushfires caused extensive damage and loss of native fauna. Some bird species thrive in post-fire environments while others require ecosystem recovery. A study on 76 bird species found that some species decreased in occurrence after the fire, some increased, and others showed no significant effect. Furthermore, diet specialists, small-bodied birds, and birds with smaller range sizes were less likely to be found in burnt areas after the fire.
Letter
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Corey T. Callaghan, Shinichi Nakagawa, William K. Cornwell
PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMY OF SCIENCES OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Corey T. Callaghan, Diana E. Bowler, Shane A. Blowes, Jonathan M. Chase, Mitchell B. Lyons, Henrique M. Pereira
Summary: Broad-scale biodiversity monitoring relies on citizen scientists. It is important to understand the spatial pattern of citizen scientists' sampling effort and its deviation from an optimal pattern. This study develops a workflow to estimate the optimal distribution of sampling effort for species diversity inference using citizen science data.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Gracie Liu, Richard T. Kingsford, Corey T. Callaghan, Jodi J. L. Rowley
Summary: The research found that human activities have an impact on frog breeding activity and calling behavior. Habitat modification led to earlier and longer breeding seasons for frogs. However, the effect on calling behavior was not significant, with high variability. With ongoing habitat modification, frogs may adapt to earlier and longer breeding seasons, with unknown ecological consequences.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Diana E. Bowler, Netra Bhandari, Lydia Repke, Christoph Beuthner, Corey T. Callaghan, David Eichenberg, Klaus Henle, Reinhard Klenke, Anett Richter, Florian Jansen, Helge Bruelheide, Aletta Bonn
Summary: Citizen scientists play a crucial role in biodiversity monitoring, but the diverse and unstructured methods they use for data collection present challenges for its use in research. This study used a questionnaire to investigate the decision-making processes of citizen scientists in Germany and identified the importance of experience and knowledge in data collection. The findings have implications for analyzing citizen science data and suggest potential areas for further project development.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Maureen M. Thompson, Jodi J. L. Rowley, Alistair G. B. Poore, Corey T. Callaghan
Summary: This study investigates the relationship between meteorological factors and calling behaviour of 100 Australian frog species. The results show that both the day of year and temperature thresholds are important in predicting frog calling behaviour, while rainfall has a weaker influence. Furthermore, the study finds that frog species do not cluster into distinct groups based on shared drivers of calling.
DIVERSITY AND DISTRIBUTIONS
(2022)
Article
Ecology
Simon B. Z. Gorta, Corey T. Callaghan, Reece D. Pedler, John L. Read, Rebecca S. West, Richard T. Kingsford
Summary: The influence of resource availability on ecosystem function varies spatially and temporally. This study investigated the persistence and habitat use of avian communities in an arid desert region in Australia during an extended dry period. The results showed differences in species composition, habitat preference, and resource use between the dry period and the wet period. Vegetation heterogeneity was found to be important for the conservation of avian refuges during the dry period.
Article
Ecology
Yanina Benedetti, Corey T. Callaghan, Iva Ulbrichova, Antonia Galanaki, Theodoros Kominos, Farah Abou Zeid, Juan Diego Ibanez-Alamo, Jukka Suhonen, Mario Diaz, Gabor Marko, Raphael Bussiere, Piotr Tryjanowski, Nikos Bukas, Marko Maegi, Lucas Leveau, Fabio Pruscini, Leszek Jerzak, Olaf Ciebiera, Jukka Jokimaeki, Marja-Liisa Kaisanlahti-Jokimaeki, Anders Pape Moller, Federico Morelli
Summary: This study examines whether the Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) can predict avian diversity, urban tolerance, and specialization in urban landscapes. Using Google Earth Engine, the researchers extracted EVI and NDVI values within a 50-m buffer of bird sample points in 15 European cities. They found that NDVI was the best predictor for various aspects of avian diversity, including taxonomic diversity, functional richness and evenness, and urban tolerance. The study expands our knowledge of EVI and NDVI as surrogates for avian diversity at a continental scale. Evaluation: 9/10
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Corey T. Callaghan, Facundo X. Palacio, Yanina Benedetti, Federico Morelli, Diana E. Bowler
Summary: Quantifying intraspecific and interspecific trait variability is crucial for understanding biogeography, ecology, and conservation. This study used citizen science data to examine bird responses to urbanization across the US and found that interspecific variability was greater than intraspecific variability.
JOURNAL OF ANIMAL ECOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Rebecca Spake, Diana E. Bowler, Corey T. Callaghan, Shane A. Blowes, C. Patrick Doncaster, Laura H. Antao, Shinichi Nakagawa, Richard McElreath, Jonathan M. Chase
Summary: Ecologists often use statistical models to detect and explain interactions among ecological drivers, but overlook two fundamental properties: the measurement scale and symmetry. Overlooking these properties can lead to three types of inferential errors: misinterpretation of detection and magnitude, misinterpretation of the sign of effect modification, and misidentification of underlying processes. We illustrate these errors using various ecological questions and propose guidelines to improve the study of interactions in ecology.
BIOLOGICAL REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Biology
Corey T. Callaghan, Maureen Thompson, Adam Woods, Alistair G. B. Poore, Diana E. Bowler, Fabrice Samonte, Jodi J. L. Rowley, Nadiah Roslan, Richard T. Kingsford, William K. Cornwell, Richard E. Major
Summary: One way to improve the value of citizen science data is through promoting adaptive sampling. In a study using the FrogID project in Australia, it was found that participants were willing to adopt an adaptive sampling protocol, resulting in improved sampling of biodiversity. Adaptive sampling can increase the value of citizen science data for biodiversity research and project design.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Corey T. Callaghan, Jonathan M. Chase, Daniel J. Mcglinn
Summary: This study investigated the changes in bird diversity along an anthropogenic landscape habitat modification gradient and found that bird diversity peaked at low to moderate levels of modification. Additionally, a declining number of individuals was the primary factor influencing diversity change.
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Simon B. Z. Gorta, Corey T. Callaghan, Fabrice Samonte, Mark K. J. Ooi, Thomas Mesaglio, Shawn W. Laffan, Will K. Cornwell
Summary: Conditions conducive to fires are becoming increasingly common and widespread under climate change, and recent fire events across the globe have had a significant impact on biodiversity. This study used citizen science data to quantify the effect of post-fire diversity responses in burnt and unburnt regions of eastern Australia. The findings showed an increase in species diversity up to 18 months after the fires, with dry sclerophyll forests driving this overall increase. However, areas exposed to extreme fire severity experienced a decrease in overall diversity.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Taylor Headland, Diane Colombelli-Negrel, Corey T. Callaghan, Shane C. Sumasgutner, Sonia Kleindorfer, Petra Sumasgutner
Summary: Urbanisation has negative impacts on biodiversity, but the species-specific responses of wildlife to urbanisation are poorly understood in the Southern Hemisphere. This study used eBird data to assess the urban tolerance of 24 Australian raptor species and found that smaller raptors had greater urban tolerance than larger ones. Out of the species analysed, 13 showed tolerance profiles for urban environments, while 11 showed avoidance profiles. These findings highlight the need to conserve native habitat and improve urban conditions for larger-bodied raptor species in order to protect Australian raptor diversity in an increasingly urbanised world.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2023)
Article
Ornithology
Louis J. Backstrom, Nicholas P. Leseberg, Corey T. Callaghan, Chris Sanderson, Richard. A. Fuller, James E. M. Watson
Summary: Citizen science is a popular method for biodiversity surveying, and in Australia, birdwatchers have contributed to large-scale citizen science programs that hold millions of records of wild birds. However, these records are not evenly distributed, and some species have significantly fewer records. This paper analyzes the variation in survey effort and species detection to identify Australian bird species that are poorly represented in citizen science datasets.
EMU-AUSTRAL ORNITHOLOGY
(2023)
