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Scarlet tanager (Piranga olivacea) "heat map" showing spatial variation in the probability of occurrence for this migratory species during spring. Hot white areas represent highest probability of occurrence. This and similar heat maps are generated through data-mining approaches with eBird data and made available to participants in the form of downloadable videos on the eBird website.
Source publication
Approaches to citizen science – an indispensable means of combining ecological research with environmental education and natural history observation – range from community-based monitoring to the use of the internet to “crowd-source” various scientific tasks, from data collection to discovery. With new tools and mechanisms for engaging learners, ci...
Context in source publication
Context 1
... citizen-science research has tapped into new computational approaches for analysis of large, complex datasets ( Kelling et al. 2009). As in other fields, these approaches are revolutionizing the ways in which ecologists analyze large-scale patterns and visualize change at large geographic scales (Figure 3). ...
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Premise of the Study
Globally, natural history collections are focused on digitizing specimens and information and making these data accessible. Usage information on National Herbarium of Victoria data made available through the Atlas of Living Australia and The Australasian Virtual Herbarium (AVH) is analyzed to understand how and by whom herbariu...
With the development of observation technology, the scale of ecological research is increasing. Ecological observations have turned from small-scale, short-time individual observations into broad-scale, long-term, interdisciplinary, multi-factor group observations. Innovation in sensor techniques has led to a profound evolution in time and space pr...
'Caterpillars Count!' is a citizen science project that allows participants to collect data on the seasonal timing, or phenology, of foliage arthropods that are important food resources for forest birds. This project has the potential to address questions about the impacts of climate change on birds over biogeographic scales. Here, we provide a des...
Citations
... Furthermore, its confirmed presence on the island shows that the species is more widely distributed than expected but is rarely observed due to its "cryptic" behavior and ecological requirements. Taking into consideration the synanthropic nature of S. ioanniticus, its parthenogenetic reproduction ability (Weygoldt 2007, Blick and Harvey 2011, Blick and Seiter 2016, Miranda et al. 2016, current study), as well as the overwhelming advances in smartphone technology and the surge in citizen-science participation these enable (Goodchild 2007, Dickinson et al. 2012), more observations are anticipated across the Mediterranean region. ...
Amblypygi, commonly known as tailless whip scorpions or whip spiders, is an order of Arachnida noted for its cryptic habits and predominantly tropical and subtropical distribution. Although the group was first mentioned on the island of Cyprus in 1990, no specific taxonomic information was provided at the time.
Through a combination of literature review, targeted field surveys, and citizen-science contributions, we confirm the presence of Sarax ioanniticus (Kritscher, 1959) in Cyprus, representing the first documented record of this species on the island. Following seven years of dedicated searches, a live specimen was collected in 2023 and identified, thereby establishing S. ioanniticus as part of the island’s fauna. This finding extends the known range of S. ioanniticus within the Eastern Mediterranean and underscores the importance of integrating biodiversity research with public engagement to detect elusive or underreported taxa. Future studies should investigate the species’ local distribution, ecological requirements, and potential conservation concerns on Cyprus.
... This innovative approach facilitates more costeffective mosquito surveillance while covering larger areas than more traditional professional systems [28,29]. Moreover, citizen science not only can engage the public directly but can also enhance public health literacy [30][31][32][33]. Multiple citizen science mosquito surveillance projects across the world have already proved useful and reliable for monitoring mosquito distributions and nuisance [34][35][36][37]. ...
Background
The expanding geographical spread of mosquito-borne diseases (MBDs) has intensified the need for effective mosquito surveillance. Additional surveillance, particularly of species such as Culex pipiens, is essential as this species is a key vector of West Nile and Usutu viruses. Citizen science offers an innovative approach to monitoring Cx. pipiens populations.
Methods
Our study utilized data from the Mosquito Alert mobile app to model the spatial distribution and abundance of Cx. pipiens and mosquito bites during the summer of 2021 in the Netherlands. Using generalized linear mixed models, climatic and non-climatic factors were analyzed to create two distribution models of adult Cx. pipiens and mosquito bites as outcomes.
Results
Population density, income, and agricultural areas (P ≤ 0.007) were identified as key determinants for both models. Blackbird population density, precipitation, and the interaction between artificial surfaces and temperature were also covariates for the Culex model, whereas sand and tree coverage were determinants for the bite model. The study controlled for biases in sampling effort to ensure robust predictions, revealing higher Cx. pipiens abundance in the central eastern areas of the country and widespread mosquito biting activity across the Netherlands.
Conclusions
These findings underscore the importance of sociodemographic and environmental factors in mosquito distribution and biting dynamics, with citizen science emerging as a valuable tool for enhancing traditional surveillance. Future research integrating longer temporal datasets and human behavioral factors will further improve predictive accuracy and support more effective MBD prevention efforts.
Graphical Abstract
... The debate over the impact of domestic animals on fauna and the implementation of restrictions on owned cats varies greatly within and across countries (Hall et al., 2016;Dauphiné and Cooper, 2009;Crowley et al., 2020b), often leading to resistance from cat owners (Hall et al., 2016;Crowley et al., 2020b) highlighting the complexities of managing their predation. The increasing role of owned cats in biodiversity impacts (Crowley et al., 2020a;Loss et al., 2022) and the rise of citizen science for biodiversity monitoring (Dickinson et al., 2012) suggest that more extensive studies involving many owners are anticipated, as demonstrated by the efforts of Mori et al. (2019) in Italy and Castañeda et al. (2023) in France. Despite covering extensive areas and involving many Fig. 1. ...
We developed a method to assess bird species' vulnerability to predation by free-ranging domestic cats (Felis catus) using prey preference data from citizen science in Italy and the United Kingdom. By combining species traits and geographical range, we trained random forest models to predict prey preferences and identify missing prey species. Our analysis showed that including the geographical range significantly improved model accuracy and reduced prey detectability issues. Cross-validation confirmed that models trained in one country could effectively predict prey preferences in another, allowing for broader application. Shapley additive explanations values analysis revealed that small, generalist birds with a low hand-wing index and large geographical range were most likely to be preyed upon. We used these models to create vulnerability lists for United States bird species, which showed moderate overlap but high consistency with previous studies, highlighting their robust-ness. These results showed that this method could thus be used to improve our understanding of cat predation and inform targeted conservation strategies, with better citizen science data being crucial for further improvements.
... It is possible that there is a variation in the length of pollen tubes. Early acting postzygotic barriers may also be acting in this case, as already reported in Eucalyptus (Potts & Dungey, 2004), including at the embryo stage (Dickinson et al., 2012). This phenomenon may explain the formation of seeds lacking endosperm and showing abnormal cells, possibly without a viable embryo. ...
Seminal propagation of eucalypt plays a crucial role in breeding programs, serving internal consumption and commercial applications. This study aimed to develop a method for examining anatomical changes in seeds obtained from Eucalyptus crosses to elucidate the causes of seed viability loss and low seed production observed in certain mating pairs. Flower buds/fruits were collected from four different genetic materials (E. grandis, E. urophylla, E. urophylla × E. grandis, and self- pollinated E. urophylla). Crosses classified as good or poor seed producers were sampled at 15-day intervals from anthesis to maturity. After collection, samples were fixed in FAA50 solution (1:1:18 v/v formaldehyde, acetic acid, and 50% ethanol) and stored in 70% ethanol. Subsequently, the samples were subjected to six different preparation methods, involving standard procedures, combinations of high and/or low temperatures, seed softening substances, and vacuum treatment. Flower buds producing unformed seeds exhibited a functional ovary with reduced locules and increased lignification. Aditionally, unformed seeds were covered by thick integuments and displayed abnormal endosperm cells. In cases where the developing ovary was visible, highly lignified tissues with numerous sclereids were observed. By contrast, flower buds with lower lignification had ovaries with well-developed locules, containing seeds with a normal appearance, characterized by a single-layered integument and well-delimited nucleated endosperm cells. Also, self-pollinated materials produced a few seeds, some of which were unformed. Thus, we conclude that anatomical alterations, likely influenced by genetic factors, lead to incompatibility, resulting in limited seed production or the production of unformed seeds in certain Eucalyptus crosses.
... La ciencia ciudadana es fundamental para aumentar el conocimiento sobre nuestras poblaciones de los carismáticos y vulnerables caballitos de mar La Ciencia Ciudadana es una herramienta poderosa para la adquisición de información sobre la presencia de especies (Dickinson et al., 2012;Follett y Strezov, 2015). En ella participan voluntarios/as que aportan datos de especies y de las características del medio que difícilmente podrían obtenerse en proyectos de investigación, especialmente cuando se desea abarcar grandes extensiones de terreno. ...
La incorporación de datos procedentes de la Ciencia Ciudadana supone un gran
avance en la gestión de los recursos vivos y en la conservación de las especies,
especialmente si se trata de especies vulnerables como los caballitos de mar
(Género Hippocampus). En este informe preliminar se recogen y estudian los datos
procedentes de las observaciones de caballitos de mar en el litoral español
obtenidos de la plataforma Observadores del Mar. El análisis indica importantes
carencias observacionales en determinadas zonas geográficas, fundamentalmente
en el arco cantábrico y, en menor medida, en áreas extensas de la costa
mediterránea (Comunidad Valenciana y Región de Murcia) y en las Islas Canarias. Se
confirma la presencia de tres especies en el litoral español, mayoritariamente a
menos de 10 m de profundidad: H. hippocampus e H. algiricus en las Islas Canarias,
así como H. hippocampus e H. guttulatus en el resto del litoral (Península e Islas
Baleares). En comparación con H. guttulatus, la información disponible también
pone de manifiesto una abundancia menor de H. hippocampus (en menor medida
en el litoral mediterráneo peninsular) así como una mayor frecuencia en zonas
arenosas (en detrimento de las praderas vegetales) y en mayores profundidades.
Finalmente es necesario destacar la importancia de integrar datos observacionales
de otros portales de ciencia ciudadana, de actividades pesqueras y de campañas de
pesca/oceanográficas.
... Por estos motivos, en el ámbito de la biodiversidad, muchas investigaciones reconocen los beneficios de la ciencia ciudadana y su capacidad para generar conocimiento científico y promover una conexión más profunda de la ciudadanía con la naturaleza, aumentando la conciencia ambiental y el conocimiento sobre la biodiversidad y los problemas ambientales (Dickinson et al. 2012;Pocock et al. 2017;Frigerio et al. 2018). Este enfoque también ayuda a reducir la brecha entre la ciencia y la sociedad (Castagneyrol et al. 2020), esencial para permeabilizar e incentivar el pensamiento crítico en las personas involucradas y fomentar una mayor responsabilidad y acción comunitaria (Toomey y Domroese 2013;Schuttler et al. 2018). ...
El uso de cámaras trampa para estudiar la fauna silvestre ha aumentado exponencialmente en los últimos años debido a su facilidad de uso y costo relativamente bajo. Sin embargo, las experiencias que combinan esta técnica con la ciencia ciudadana para mejorar el conocimiento sobre la distribución de la fauna son muy escasas. Este estudio presenta los resultados de una experiencia educativa en diferentes centros escolares de la provincia de Córdoba, España, donde se implementaron el fototrampeo y la ciencia ciudadana para analizar la abundancia y diversidad de los mamíferos silvestres en el entorno de los centros educativos. Los datos obtenidos por las cámaras trampa en 11 cuadrículas UTM de 10x10 km fueron comparados con las observaciones disponibles entre 2008 y 2023 en GBIF y con observaciones no validadas en plataformas de ciencia ciudadana. En total, las cámaras trampa generaron 1605 registros de secuencias, resultando en 589 registros diarios de 15 especies de mamíferos silvestres concentradas en un cuatrimestre de muestreo. Este volumen de datos es equiparable al compartido en GBIF en esas áreas durante los últimos 15 años. Además, se documentaron especies cuya presencia no había sido detectada o confirmada a nivel de cuadrícula UTM 10x10 km, así como especies con un número reducido de registros. También se identificaron factores geográficos y de esfuerzo de muestreo asociados a la riqueza de especies. Estos resultados sugieren que el uso del fototrampeo en combinación con la ciencia ciudadana en centros educativos puede generar un volumen significativo de datos verificables y fiables, contribuyendo así a mejorar el conocimiento sobre la distribución de las especies de mamíferos silvestres.
... Citizen science (CS) broadly refers to the engagement of the general public in scientific research and has existed for centuries in various forms [11] but has in recent decades expanded dramatically in both scope and application [12]. The current use of crowdsourced data through CS has proven powerful in generating ecological knowledge [13], improving conservation science, and enhancing environmental protection [14]. Crowdsourced science, a subset of CS that utilizing internet connectivity to recruit large groups of volunteers who would otherwise be disconnected for the purpose of problem-solving scientific projects, has the potential to expand societal participation and reduce associated costs of acquiring data [15]. ...
... These challenges include improving participant engagement and retention, establishing comprehensive project evaluations, and developing better communication strategies [16], while also mitigating potential challenges in data quality, and data coverage [17]. For crowdsourced science to provide data in both the quantity and quality needed for scientific purposes, it is necessary for projects to include standardized data collection protocols, means of quality-assurance, engaging community involvement (co-creation), and venues to share data and knowledge with the public [13,18]. ...
Background
Determining sea turtle foraging grounds, emerging threats, and population status are essential for conservation management. Crowdsourced science is a recently recognized approach that enables internet-based data collection, providing important contributions to scientific goals while also benefiting society and public education. This study is based on the published dataset from TurtleSpot Taiwan (2017–2022) with the aim to leverage crowdsourced data to determine sea turtle foraging grounds, emerging threats, demography, and residency patterns in Taiwan.
Results
We identified three green turtle (Chelonia mydas) foraging grounds in Taiwan (Liuqiu Island, Kenting, and Green Island), defined as sites with > 100 sightings and > 50 individuals. Among all sites, Liuqiu Island contributed 77% of the total sightings, suggesting this island is a hotspot. Emerging threats to foraging aggregations of sea turtles in Taiwan were evident from the reported sightings, with ~ 10% of the total sightings involving turtles with fishing line entanglement, ingested debris, missing flippers, or injuries. Most of these sightings occurred in Liuqiu Island, indicating a significant level of human-turtle disturbance. Residency patterns identified from sighting data showed that 43.4% of individuals stayed in the same area for one or more years, with adult-sized turtle residency greater than that of immature turtles.
Conclusions
Taiwan supports healthy foraging grounds for green turtles, where adults often stay for more than one year and with dynamic populations of younger individuals. However, despite a certain number of foraging green turtles observed in Liuqiu Island, many of these turtles displayed injuries. This high population density combined with increased injury frequency suggests that a comprehensive management plan for turtle foraging grounds is urgently needed, including measures to reduce boat speeds in hotspot areas and strict regulations on coastal human activity.
Supplementary Information
The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12862-025-02354-2.
... The recovery of coral reefs, and thus restoration, can potentially provide a wide range of economic benefits due to its impact on ecosystem services, such as fisheries, coastal protection, tourism, and enhanced recreation opportunities (De Groot et al., 2013). Coupled with strong academic research and public enforcement, environmental education and citizen science programs could also increase public awareness and support of coral conservation efforts, long needed for coral reefs in Bahía Culebra (Dickinson et al., 2012;Hesley et al., 2017). This review sets a guide for coral restoration activities by providing a baseline and describing how coral reefs in Bahía Culebra have responded to past disturbances, and how these have shaped the structure and function of present-day coral reefs. ...
Introduction: Climate change and other multiple stressors have globally caused the collapse of many coral reefs. Understanding how coral reefs have responded to previous disturbances is key to identify possible trajectories in the face of future more frequent and intense disturbances. Objective: We review the ecological history of coral reefs in Bahía Culebra, a historically important area for coral reef development in the North Pacific of Costa Rica, which has suffered extreme deterioration in the last decades. Methods: We assessed historical traits of coral reefs using both historical and recent data, divided as follows: (i) the "pre-disturbed" period (1970-2000), (ii) the early degradation period (2000-2010), and the degraded period (2010-present day). Results: Forty years ago, Bahía Culebra harbored the highest coral species richness in the Costa Rican Pacific, with high live coral cover (> 40 %). Signs of early degradation were observed after El Niño events and unprecedented coastal development that caused anthropic eutrophication, which led to coral death and a shift to macroalgae-dominated reefs. In the last decade, a steep decline in live coral cover (1-4 %), the loss of many reefs, and a decrease in reef fish diversity and abundance were recorded. Conclusions: To promote the recovery of coral reefs in the bay, we propose management actions such as marine spatial planning, mitigation and monitoring of stressors, and ecological restoration. The latter could help turn the tide by increasing live coral cover, eventually leading to ecosystem functionality recovery, with spill-over effects on reef-associated communities, including local coastal communities. Nonetheless, such actions need governmental and local support; thus, raising awareness through environmental education and citizen science programs is key for the long-needed conservation of coral reefs in Bahía Culebra. RESUMEN Una historia de perturbación y pérdida: degradación histórica de los arrecifes de coral en Bahía Culebra, Pacífico Norte de Costa Rica Introducción: El cambio climático y otros múltiples factores estresantes han provocado a nivel mundial el colapso de muchos arrecifes de coral. Comprender cómo han respondido los arrecifes de coral a perturbaciones anteriores es clave para identificar posibles trayectorias ante perturbaciones futuras más frecuentes e intensas.
... Weak multidisciplinary techniques that mix satellite imaging with ground-truthing exacerbate these issues (Castro, 2020). Lack of strong collaboration between satellite imagery professionals, field researchers, and local communities to ensure data accuracy (Dickinson et al., 2012). Indeed, most African nations lack comprehensive validation methods and analytical models that can accommodate diverse geographical and socio-economic circumstances. ...
Satellite imagery provides unmatched insights into numerous areas important to Africa's economic development. In this paper, we address recent advancements, ongoing issues, and possibilities for the application of satellite imagery for economic development in Africa. The first section covers satellite technology developments such as high-resolution imaging, multi-spectral and hyperspectral capabilities, synthetic aperture radar (SAR), and fusion with AI. Next, we present data accessibility, technical expertise, integration with local knowledge, and policy frameworks as satellite imaging adoption hurdles. Finally, we recommend integrating new technologies, boosting spatial and temporal resolutions, collaboration, capacity-building, and policy frameworks. By overcoming these obstacles and preparing ahead, African states can use satellite pictures to boost economic growth.
... Generally, the direct counting of active swallow nests seems to be a reliable method for estimating the size of breeding populations and their trends on large spatial and temporal scales (Tella et al., 2024). Researchers also note the important role of civic science in studying the distribution and numbers of swallows (Dickinson et al., 2012;Kettel et al., 2021). Since direct counts were carried out only in a part of the known colonies of the house martin in the Oblast, we had to extrapolate the results of our surveys using data of citizen science from the site iNaturalist.com, ...
The paper aimed to evaluate the current state of the breeding population of the house martin Delichon urbicum in the Nizhny Novgorod Oblast based on the analysis of the results of our field surveys and data collected by citizen science. Based on repeated counts of nests in 10 colonies, we discovered the number of house martins decreased by an average of 7.16% per year from 2012 to 2024. Based on the average annual population decline, the probable number of nests in 49 colonies from 786 to 916 nests is calculated in 2024. The calculated regional number of house martins ranges from 2,116 to 2,488 pairs. The prospect of further research is the organization of a regional census of the house martins, the development of the database of colonies and further monitoring of the species conditions in the Oblast, and the implementation of European experience in artificial nest erecting.
