Mark Chandler

International citizen science: making the local global

The Earthwatch Institute is an international non-profit organization that works with scientists and scientific institutions to develop citizen-science-based research and environmental monitoring programs. Each year, Earthwatch supports close to 80 different projects in more than 30 countries and recruits over 3000 volunteers to aid scientists in collecting data. Participants recruited by Earthwatch seek to tap into their passion for learning about science by volunteering to act as assistants for authentic research projects.

Building capacity in biodiversity monitoring at the global scale

Human-driven global change is causing ongoing declines in biodiversity worldwide. In order to address these declines, decision-makers need accurate assessments of the status of and pressures on biodiversity. However, these are heavily constrained by incomplete and uneven spatial, temporal and taxonomic coverage. For instance, data from regions such as Europe and North America are currently used overwhelmingly for large-scale biodiversity assessments due to lesser availability of suitable data from other, more biodiversity-rich, regions. These data-poor regions are often those experiencing the strongest threats to biodiversity, however. There is therefore an urgent need to fill the existing gaps in global biodiversity monitoring. Here, we review current knowledge on best practice in capacity building for biodiversity monitoring and provide an overview of existing means to improve biodiversity data collection considering the different types of biodiversity monitoring data. Our review comprises insights from work in Africa, South America, Polar Regions and Europe; in government-funded, volunteer and citizen-based monitoring in terrestrial, freshwater and marine ecosystems. The key steps to effectively building capacity in biodiversity monitoring are: identifying monitoring questions and aims; identifying the key components, functions, and processes to monitor; identifying the most suitable monitoring methods for these elements, carrying out monitoring activities; managing the resultant data; and interpreting monitoring data. Additionally, biodiversity monitoring should use multiple approaches including extensive and intensive monitoring through volunteers and professional scientists but also harnessing new technologies. Finally, we call on the scientific community to share biodiversity monitoring data, knowledge and tools to ensure the accessibility, interoperability, and reporting of biodiversity data at a global scale.

Involving Citizen Scientists in Biodiversity Observation

The involvement of non-professionals in scientific research and environmental monitoring, termed Citizen Science (CS), has now become a mainstream approach for collecting data on earth processes, ecosystems and biodiversity. This chapter examines how CS might contribute to ongoing efforts in biodiversity monitoring, enhancing observation and recording of key species and systems in a standardised manner, thereby supporting data relevant to the Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs), as well as reaching key constituencies who would benefit Biodiversity Observation Networks (BONs). The design of successful monitoring or observation networks that rely on citizen observers requires a careful balancing of the two primary user groups, namely data users and data contributors (i.e., citizen scientists). To this end, this chapter identifies examples of successful CS programs as well as considering practical issues such as the reliability of the data, participant recruitment and motivation, and the use of emerging technologies.

Effects of proximity to forest habitat on hymenoptera diversity in a Costa Rican coffee agroecosystem

Abstract The incorporation of natural, non-crop vegetation in and around farmlands is a common practice in many agroecosystems, and may provide benefits both for production and conservation of biological diversity. In coffee agroecosystems, non-crop vegetation is routinely incorporated in the form of shade trees or forest habitat in and around coffee plants. In order to assess the importance of adjacent forest habitat to Hymenoptera associated with coffee farms, we sampled Hymenoptera on twelve coffee farms in the Tarrazú region in the central highlands of Costa Rica. Six of the farms were adjacent to forest habitat, and six were spatially isolated from forest; farms were sampled in both the dry (flowering) and the rainy (non-flowering) seasons. On adjacent farms, Hymenoptera samples taken in coffee and forest habitat were also compared. Finally, we also conducted pollinator observations in each type of farm, comparing Hymenoptera visitors to coffee plants in adjacent vs. isolated farms. Our results revealed an interaction in hymenopteran diversity between farm isolation and season, suggesting that both forest and coffee habitats play important roles at different times for Hymenoptera, especially bees.

Effects of seasonality and farm proximity to forest on Hymenoptera in Tarrazú coffee farms

The management of natural vegetation and forested habitat within agricultural areas can be important for bolstering ecosystem services. In coffee agro-ecosystems, proximate forested habitat can provide resources for Hymenoptera that contribute to crop pollination and biological control of pests. We conducted a field study on 12 coffee farms in the highlands of Tarrazú, Costa Rica over a period of 3 years during both dry (flowering) and rainy (nonflowering) seasons. We compared the abundance of Hymenoptera observed around coffee plants on farms that were either isolated from or immediately adjacent to substantial forest habitat. Our results demonstrated a seasonally dependent response, with higher numbers of Hymenoptera observed in adjacent farms than in isolated farms during dry seasons, but no difference in the numbers in isolated farms and adjacent farms during rainy seasons. We discuss the implications of these findings with respect to the potential pollination and biological control benefits associated with preserving forest/noncrop habitat within coffee agro-ecosystems.

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

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.