tag:theconversation.com,2011:/id/topics/citizen-science-6594/articlesCitizen science – The Conversation2024-03-27T13:27:11Ztag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2247152024-03-27T13:27:11Z2024-03-27T13:27:11ZGo on an Easter egg case hunt on the beach to discover more about sharks and rays<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579193/original/file-20240301-20-bnz9ap.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Egg cases found along the foreshore can tell scientists a lot about the abundance and life cycles of sharks and rays</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/close-shark-egg-case-resting-on-1983639383">Ross Mahon/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Strolling along the shoreline, you may come across peculiar pouch-like objects on the sand. These leathery treasures are shark egg cases, also known as mermaid’s purses. Each capsule can tell us something about how sharks and rays reproduce, the lives they lead and how rare they might be. </p>
<p>The Shark Trust’s <a href="https://www.sharktrust.org/greateggcasehunt">great egg case hunt</a> encourages people to document their foreshore findings. Different sharks and rays produce egg cases with distinct characteristics. Skates and rays tend to have more elongated pouches with horn-like protrusions at each end. Shark egg cases often have spiral coiled tendrils which can be lodged into crevices or attached to underwater structures such as rocks, seaweed, or coral reefs.</p>
<p>These protective structures are produced by the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0016648022001010#:%7E:text=Reproductive%20strategies%20of%20elasmobranchs%20(sharks%2C%20rays%20and%20skates)%20have,species%20(Compagno%2C%201990).">40% of sharks and rays</a> and <a href="https://www.sharktrust.org/pups-skates-rays">all skates</a> that lay eggs. Each egg case safeguards an embryo from predators and harsh environmental conditions during their early stages of life. </p>
<p>Shark egg cases can be found around the world, in coastal waters, estuaries and deep ocean environments. Particularly after storms or during low tide, egg cases may become dislodged from their attachment sites on the ocean floor and end up on beaches. </p>
<h2>Record your findings</h2>
<p>If you come across an egg case while exploring the beach, try not to disturb or open it because it may contain precious shark or ray eggs. Avoid removing it from the beach (doing so may well be illegal in some parts of the world) and, as with any beach discovery, leave the area as you found it.</p>
<p>Take a moment to examine the egg case. Note its size, shape, colour and any other distinguishing features. Photograph the egg case from different angles and try to identify which species it came from using The Shark Trust’s <a href="https://www.sharktrust.org/geh-id">useful guide</a>. Record the precise location, date and time that you found the egg case. </p>
<p>Log your findings via citizen science projects such as the great egg case hunt, or report your discovery to local marine research organisations, aquariums or conservation groups that may be collecting data on egg case sightings. </p>
<p>Share your experience with friends, relatives and other beachgoers to raise awareness about the importance of shark and ray conservation. Encourage others to respect marine life and their habitats to ensure their preservation.</p>
<h2>A natural process</h2>
<p>The washing up of shark egg cases is a perfectly natural process. Some sharks and rays deposit their egg cases in shallow waters or near the shoreline, where they may become dislodged by wave action, currents, or storms. This helps to disperse the embryos and maintain genetic diversity within populations. Once the tide comes in, egg cases can be washed back into the sea allowing for further dispersal, so not all shark egg cases found on beaches are stranded or in need of intervention. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Underwater shot of yellow transparent egg case with dark-coloured live embryo inside , purple sea coral" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/579203/original/file-20240301-18-pcqiev.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=502&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Egg cases are designed to protect the embryos of sharks and rays.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/dogfish-shark-eggs-close-hanging-red-326395700">Andrea Izzotti/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<p>If the embryos inside the egg cases are fully developed and ready to hatch, returning them to the sea may indeed increase their chances of survival. But if the water is too shallow, turbid or polluted, it may not be suitable for the survival of the embryos. Handling egg cases or disturbing them unnecessarily could inadvertently harm the developing embryos. So if you have concerns about the welfare of the embryos or the environmental conditions, consult with local marine conservation experts or beach authorities for guidance.</p>
<h2>Tracking cycles</h2>
<p>Identifying which species are present in a particular area can indicate the reproductive activity of local shark and ray populations. By monitoring the abundance and distribution of egg cases over time, scientists can track reproductive cycles and assess the health of populations. </p>
<p>While some species may reproduce all year round, others may have specific breeding seasons tied to environmental cues such as water temperature or daylight hours. Understanding the reproductive biology and habitat requirements of sharks and rays helps protect these vulnerable species and conserve their habitats.</p>
<p>Recordings of egg case sightings enable scientists to build up a picture of any changes in the abundance or condition of shark egg cases that might be indicative of broader environmental changes. The decline in the number of egg case sightings may suggest threats such as habitat degradation or over-fishing. Stormy weather or changes in ocean currents may also affect the distribution and abundance of egg cases by washing them ashore or dispersing them in the water. </p>
<p>Egg cases are fascinating structures that provide valuable information about sharks and rays. Next time you visit a beach, remember that each and every piece of debris, natural or human-made, tells a story about the interconnected web of life in the ocean. Take a closer look at what has been washed up on the shore and enjoy going on a shark egg case hunt.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/224715/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nicholas Ray does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Egg cases of sharks and rays can be found washed up on the shore. Citizen science data helps scientists understand the life cycles of these marine animals and how to best conserve them.Nicholas Ray, Doctoral School Programmes Manager, Nottingham Trent UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2232042024-02-26T23:23:17Z2024-02-26T23:23:17ZAs Varroa spreads, now is the time to fight for Australia’s honey bees – and you can help<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577517/original/file-20240223-26-eqvxkz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=855%2C409%2C3693%2C2687&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Nic Vevers/ANU</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>A tiny foe threatens Australian beekeepers’ livelihood, our food supply and the national economy. First detected in New South Wales in 2022, <a href="https://www.dpi.nsw.gov.au/emergencies/biosecurity/current-situation/varroa-mite-emergency-response">the Varroa mite is now established in Australia</a>.</p>
<p>The parasitic mite, which feeds on honey bees and transmits bee viruses, has since spread across New South Wales.</p>
<p>It is expected to kill virtually all unmanaged honey bees living in the bush (also known as “feral” honey bees), which provide ecosystem-wide pollination. Honey bees managed by beekeepers will survive only with constant and costly use of pesticides.</p>
<p>As the last holdout against Varroa, Australia has a key advantage – we can still take action that was impossible elsewhere. We know <a href="https://agrifutures.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/23-226-Resilient-Beekeeping-In-The-Face-Of-Varroa.pdf">Varroa-resistant bees would be the silver bullet</a>.
Despite decades of research, no fully resistant strains exist, largely because the genetics of Varroa resistance are complex and remain poorly understood.</p>
<p>A recently released national <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-02-13/plan-slow-varroa-mite-spread-australia-focuses-beekeepers/103458434">management plan places a heavy focus on beekeeper education</a>, aiming to transition the industry to self-management in two years. This leaves research gaps that need to be urgently filled – and we can all work together to help tackle these.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-has-officially-given-up-on-eradicating-the-varroa-mite-now-what-214002">Australia has officially given up on eradicating the Varroa mite. Now what?</a>
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<h2>Unlocking the genetic key to resistance</h2>
<p>Without human intervention, Varroa <a href="https://www.ars.usda.gov/research/publications/publication/?seqNo115=191987">kills around 95% of the honey bees</a> it infects, but the survivors can evolve resistance. However, losing almost all bees would decimate Australia’s agriculture.</p>
<p>Our feral honey bees will have no choice but to evolve resistance, <a href="https://royalsocietypublishing.org/doi/10.1098/rspb.2021.1375">as they have in other countries</a>. However, feral honey bees are not suited for beekeeping as they are too aggressive, don’t stay with the hive and don’t produce enough honey.</p>
<p>In principle, we could breed for a combination of feral resistance and domestic docility. But figuring out the genetics of how feral bees resist Varroa has been a challenge. As most bees exposed to the parasite will die, the <a href="https://news.cornell.edu/stories/2015/08/some-honeybee-colonies-adapt-wake-deadly-mites">survivors will be genetically different</a>. </p>
<p>Some of these differences will be due to natural selection, but most will be due to chance. Identifying the genes responsible for resistance in this scenario is difficult. The best way to find them is to measure genetic changes before and after Varroa infestation. But to do that, we need bee populations largely unaffected by Varroa.</p>
<p>This is where our unique Australian opportunity comes in. We have a small and vanishing window to collect bees before the inevitable rapid spread of the mites, and the mass die-offs, occur.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577521/original/file-20240223-30-q12r27.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Close-up of the octagonal cells of a beehive with a small red-brown speck visible" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577521/original/file-20240223-30-q12r27.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577521/original/file-20240223-30-q12r27.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577521/original/file-20240223-30-q12r27.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577521/original/file-20240223-30-q12r27.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=401&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577521/original/file-20240223-30-q12r27.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577521/original/file-20240223-30-q12r27.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577521/original/file-20240223-30-q12r27.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=504&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">A Varroa mite visible in a beehive – they mainly reproduce on bee larvae.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/mite-beehive-638331532">Igor Chus/Shutterstock</a></span>
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<h2>We are collecting information… and bees</h2>
<p>My lab at the Australian National University’s <a href="https://biology.anu.edu.au/research/research-groups/mikheyev-group-evolutionary-genomics#acton-tabs-link--tabs-group_tabs_biology-middle-1">Research School of Biology</a> has started collecting data on feral bee populations around New South Wales to identify pre-Varroa genetic diversity.</p>
<p>We will also monitor changes in bee population size and the spread of viruses and mites.</p>
<p>The most efficient way to collect bees is to go to a local clearing, such as a sports oval surrounded by forest. Unbeknownst to the cricket players, honey bee males (that is, drones) congregate at these sites by the thousands on sunny afternoons looking for mates.</p>
<p>You can lure them with some queen pheromone suspended from a balloon, and sweep them up with a butterfly net. Bee drones have no stinger and only come out for a couple of hours when the weather is fantastic, making collecting them literally a walk in the park, suitable for nature enthusiasts of all ages.</p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577519/original/file-20240223-26-kqtlgz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A man with a beard and glasses holding a small honey bee on his fingertips" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577519/original/file-20240223-26-kqtlgz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/577519/original/file-20240223-26-kqtlgz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577519/original/file-20240223-26-kqtlgz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577519/original/file-20240223-26-kqtlgz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577519/original/file-20240223-26-kqtlgz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577519/original/file-20240223-26-kqtlgz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/577519/original/file-20240223-26-kqtlgz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The author pictured with a stingless male honey bee (a drone) collected for genetic research into Varroa resistance.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Nic Vevers/ANU</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Anyone can help</h2>
<p>You can help this effort by collecting some drones in your local area – this would save us time and carbon emissions from driving all over the country. We will provide pheromone lures, instructions, and materials for sending the bees back via mail. By sacrificing a few drones for the research now, we might save millions of bees in the future. </p>
<p>If you can spare just a couple of summer afternoons, this would give two timepoints at your location, and we can monitor any changes as the Varroa infestation progresses. More information can be <a href="https://science.anu.edu.au/australian-bee-observation-network">found on our website</a>.</p>
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<p>Apart from our project, there are also other urgent research questions. For example, how will native forests respond to the loss of their dominant pollinators? Will honey bee viruses spread into other insects?</p>
<p>Work on these and other projects also requires pre-Varroa data. Unfortunately, Varroa falls through our research infrastructure net. Most of Australia’s agricultural funding is industry-led, however, the beekeeping industry is small and lacks the resources to tackle Varroa research while also reeling from its impacts.</p>
<p>Other industries that rely on honey bees for pollination, <a href="https://agrifutures.com.au/product/pollination-aware-the-real-value-of-pollination-in-australia-fact-sheet/">including most fruit, nut and berry growers</a>, have diverse research needs and are one step removed from the actual problem.</p>
<p>Together, we can take action to save Australia’s honey bees and assure security for our key pollinators.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/hear-me-out-we-could-use-the-varroa-mite-to-wipe-out-feral-honey-bees-and-help-australias-environment-185959">Hear me out – we could use the varroa mite to wipe out feral honey bees, and help Australia's environment</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/223204/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alexander Mikheyev receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p>Australia could still take action in the fight against Varroa that wasn’t possible elsewhere. But to do so, we need to fill urgent gaps in bee research.Alexander Mikheyev, Professor, ANU Bee lab, Australian National UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2201062024-01-09T13:25:50Z2024-01-09T13:25:50ZI set out to investigate where silky sharks travel − and by chance documented a shark’s amazing power to regenerate its sabotaged fin<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567867/original/file-20240104-19-fvz9ed.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C114%2C919%2C596&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Rather than a tracking tag telling scientists where this shark traveled, its violent removal let them observe an unexpected regeneration process.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Josh Schellenberg</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>I made an accidental and astonishing discovery while studying the movements of sharks off the coast of Jupiter, Florida. I set out to record the migration routes of silky sharks, named for their smooth skin. Instead, in a story filled with twists and turns, I ended up documenting the rare phenomenon of a shark <a href="https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/6639805">regenerating a dorsal fin</a>. </p>
<h2>Tagging, then trauma</h2>
<p>It all started in the summer of 2022, when my team and I tagged silky sharks (<em>Carcharhinus falciformis</em>) as part of my <a href="https://chelsealeighblack.com/research-projects/biotrack/">Ph.D. research</a>. <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/species-profiles/carcharhinus-falciformis/">Silky sharks</a> are commonly found in the open ocean and grow to be 10 feet long. Scientists know these sharks congregate in South Florida each summer, but where they go the rest of the year remains a mystery – one I hoped to solve. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567682/original/file-20240103-23-h8z0ck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Three scientists wearing latex gloves lean over the side of a boat holding a still shark. Woman in middle attaches a hand-sized tag with an short antena to the fin on the shark's back." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567682/original/file-20240103-23-h8z0ck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567682/original/file-20240103-23-h8z0ck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567682/original/file-20240103-23-h8z0ck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567682/original/file-20240103-23-h8z0ck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=493&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567682/original/file-20240103-23-h8z0ck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=620&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567682/original/file-20240103-23-h8z0ck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=620&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567682/original/file-20240103-23-h8z0ck.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=620&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Chelsea Black, center, leads a satellite tagging team from the University of Miami in June 2022.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Tanner Mansell</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
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<p>Local boat captain John Moore took us to a site where sharks are known to gather. We carefully caught and gently attached GPS trackers to the dorsal, or top, fin of 10 silky sharks. </p>
<p>The tags, which are attached like large earrings, do not interfere with swimming and are designed to fall off after a few years. When the tag’s antenna breaks the surface of the water, its GPS location is picked up by overhead satellites, hopefully revealing details of the shark’s secret life.</p>
<p>I headed home to track their travels from my laptop. </p>
<p>The story took an unexpected turn a few weeks later, when I received disturbing photos from an avid diver and underwater photographer, Josh Schellenberg, who knew of my work.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567714/original/file-20240103-23-9nlx4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Silky shark swiming in water with its dorsal fin missing a chunk of tissue shaped like a satellite tag." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567714/original/file-20240103-23-9nlx4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567714/original/file-20240103-23-9nlx4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567714/original/file-20240103-23-9nlx4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567714/original/file-20240103-23-9nlx4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=333&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567714/original/file-20240103-23-9nlx4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567714/original/file-20240103-23-9nlx4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567714/original/file-20240103-23-9nlx4h.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=419&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The first sighting of the wounded silky shark in July 2022.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Josh Schellenberg</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The photos showed a male silky shark with a large, gaping wound in its dorsal fin, as if someone had taken a satellite-tag-shaped cookie cutter and punched it right through. Josh wondered if this individual was one of the sharks from my study. </p>
<p>When placing the GPS tags, I also place a second tag beneath each shark’s dorsal fin that displays a unique ID number, so I was able to confirm the injured shark was one from my study, #409834.</p>
<p>I felt a mixture of relief and sadness. Relief that the shark survived this ordeal; sadness for the scientific data that would now go uncollected. </p>
<p>Silky sharks are often caught by local fishermen in this area but are protected in Florida and <a href="https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/commercial/sharks/">illegal to kill or retain</a>. Josh’s photos of #409834 showed several hooks in his mouth, so I knew this animal had been captured several times since my team tagged him.</p>
<p>The way the satellite tag attaches means it’s impossible for it to naturally rip out of the fin and leave a wound of this shape. Why someone cut off the shark’s satellite tag remains a mystery, but perhaps they thought they could resell it or possibly wanted to interfere with research. I never expected to see that shark again.</p>
<h2>The return of #409834</h2>
<p>Flash forward to one year later, the summer of 2023. I received several photos of silky sharks from John Moore, our boat captain, who is also an avid diver. John was on the lookout for any of our sharks making their seasonal return to Jupiter. In the many shark photos he sent, I noticed a silky shark with an oddly shaped dorsal fin. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567740/original/file-20240103-15-s905sn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Silky shark swimming through water with an oddly shaped dorsal fin." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567740/original/file-20240103-15-s905sn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567740/original/file-20240103-15-s905sn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567740/original/file-20240103-15-s905sn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567740/original/file-20240103-15-s905sn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567740/original/file-20240103-15-s905sn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567740/original/file-20240103-15-s905sn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567740/original/file-20240103-15-s905sn.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Shark #409834 spotted a year later, in June 2023, with a healed dorsal fin.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Josh Schellenberg</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>I knew immediately it had to be #409834 from the previous summer. A few days later, John was able to get close enough to photograph the ID tag to confirm my hunch. Josh Schellenberg also spotted and photographed #409834. With both John’s and Josh’s photos, I was able to compare the healed dorsal fin with the freshly injured one. </p>
<p>I wasn’t expecting to make a groundbreaking discovery. Simple curiosity led me to start analyzing the photos. But the revelation was astonishing: Not only had the wound completely healed, but the 2023 dorsal fin was 10.7% larger in size than it was after the injury in 2022. New fin tissue had regenerated.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567744/original/file-20240103-29-ocqay6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A collage of four photos – two are close ups of the dorsal fin freshly injured in 2022 and two are close ups of it healed in 2023. Much of it has grown back." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567744/original/file-20240103-29-ocqay6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/567744/original/file-20240103-29-ocqay6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567744/original/file-20240103-29-ocqay6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567744/original/file-20240103-29-ocqay6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=359&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567744/original/file-20240103-29-ocqay6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567744/original/file-20240103-29-ocqay6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/567744/original/file-20240103-29-ocqay6.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=451&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Changes in the dorsal fin from 2022 and 2023.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Josh Schellenberg and John Moore</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p><a href="https://doi.org/10.1155/2023/6639805">My analysis</a> determined that within 332 days, the shark regenerated enough tissue that his dorsal fin was almost back to 90% of its original size, growing back more than half of what had been cut off in 2022.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://dlnr.hawaii.gov/sharks/anatomy/fins-swimming/">dorsal fin</a>, pivotal for balance, steering and hydrodynamics, is vital for a shark to be able to hunt and survive. Seeing no infection or any signs of malnourishment in #409834 suggests an extraordinary feat of endurance.</p>
<p>Scientists know that sharks have an incredible <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/cov062">aptitude for healing</a> – but mechanisms behind these observations are still poorly understood. While limb regeneration has been widely documented in other marine animals like <a href="https://ssec.si.edu/stemvisions-blog/all-about-starfish">starfish</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jembe.2023.151895">crabs</a>, there is only <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coaa120">one other documented case</a> of dorsal fin regeneration in a shark – a whale shark in the Indian Ocean that regrew its dorsal fin after a boat accident in 2006.</p>
<h2>400 million years of resilience</h2>
<p>There’s a reason sharks have been on Earth <a href="https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/1999/04/990422060147.htm">longer than trees</a> and have survived <a href="https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.01.20.427414">multiple mass extinction events</a> that wiped out other species. They are a product of <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/shark-evolution-a-450-million-year-timeline.html">400 million years</a> of <a href="https://www.floridamuseum.ufl.edu/discover-fish/sharks/fossil/basics/">evolutionary adaptations</a> that demonstrate their remarkable resilience and have primed them for survival.</p>
<p>To be able to pinpoint an ability that helps make them so resilient is a major scientific advance – especially considering scientists are still questioning where silky sharks spend most of their time in the Atlantic. </p>
<p>One person’s attempt to undermine shark science and harm a shark ultimately proved futile. Instead, the shark’s toughness prevailed and led to an amazing discovery about this species. This story also shows there are countless individual people, including scientists like me and shark enthusiasts like Josh and John, who share a genuine love and respect for these animals.</p>
<p>While I’ll never know for certain where #409834 spends the rest of the year, I hope he continues to return to Jupiter each summer so we can further assess his progress. Based on the healing rate calculated in my study, we just might see his dorsal fin grow back to 100% its original size.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/220106/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chelsea Black does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>After scientists’ GPS tracking tag was violently removed from one shark’s dorsal fin, they were in for a surprise: The wound didn’t just heal, but the missing tissue grew back.Chelsea Black, Ph.D. Candidate in Marine Ecosystems and Society, University of MiamiLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2143072024-01-04T20:01:53Z2024-01-04T20:01:53ZBecome a beach scientist this summer and help monitor changing coastlines<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/565647/original/file-20231213-17-zlgqzp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=35%2C11%2C3958%2C2257&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">CoastSnap</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>When you arrive at your favourite beach these summer holidays, you may notice something different about the coast. </p>
<p>With the triple-dip La Niña now <a href="https://media.bom.gov.au/releases/1205/the-bureau-forecasts-an-unusually-warm-summer/">making way for El Niño</a>, our beaches have been through a rollercoaster ride. Some beaches have been completely stripped of sand, while others have grown very wide. </p>
<p>In the past, such changes went mostly unrecorded. However, thanks to a project <a href="https://www.coastsnap.com/">known as CoastSnap</a>, coastal data is now being collected like never before. Using designated camera cradles installed at beach viewpoints, CoastSnap uses community snapshots taken on smartphones to track beach change. </p>
<p>Almost <a href="https://www.spotteron.com/coastsnap/">50,000 photos</a> have been collected so far. They have revealed a varying picture in recent years: from <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-02-12/tropical-cyclone-uesi-bring-dangerous-conditions-nsw-coast/11955628">dramatic beach loss during La Niña storms three years ago</a>, to <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/the-sydney-beach-that-s-grown-by-59-metres-since-last-summer-20230921-p5e6id.html">60 metres of beach growth in recent months</a>. So with smartphones as commonplace as towels and sunscreen in the beach bag, why not add coastal data collection to your list of holiday activities this summer?</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563079/original/file-20231203-29-n4laod.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="CoastSnap stainless steel camera cradle with smartphone placed in it, overlooking Manly beach" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563079/original/file-20231203-29-n4laod.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563079/original/file-20231203-29-n4laod.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563079/original/file-20231203-29-n4laod.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563079/original/file-20231203-29-n4laod.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563079/original/file-20231203-29-n4laod.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563079/original/file-20231203-29-n4laod.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563079/original/file-20231203-29-n4laod.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A CoastSnap community beach monitoring station at Manly Beach in Sydney, Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Larry Paice</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Turning beach snaps into scientific data</h2>
<p>Through CoastSnap, we installed a network of stainless-steel camera cradles along coastal trails all around the world. These camera cradles are positioned at a perfect vantage point for tracking changes to the coast – whether it be due to rising sea levels, extreme storms or other factors.</p>
<p>All you need to do is place your camera in the cradle, take a photo and upload it using the QR code at the station. Because the position and angle of the photo is always the same, over time these snaps reveal how the beach is changing.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/millions-of-satellite-images-reveal-how-beaches-around-the-pacific-vanish-or-replenish-in-el-nino-and-la-nina-years-198505">Millions of satellite images reveal how beaches around the Pacific vanish or replenish in El Niño and La Niña years</a>
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</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>As well as being a powerful visual record, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0278434322001492">sophisticated algorithms</a> turn each photo into miniature satellite images that are used to precisely measure shoreline position. This is done using a <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Photogrammetry">process known as photogrammetry</a>, in which pixels in the image are rearranged as though they had been taken from space. </p>
<p>This aerial view enables beach change to be easily measured. Also, since the exact time of photo capture is recorded, the effects of tides as they vary throughout the day can be accounted for.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563240/original/file-20231204-17-8678xw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="CoastSnap photo of beach (left) and equivalent photo converted to an aerial photo with a red line to mark out the shoreline" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563240/original/file-20231204-17-8678xw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/563240/original/file-20231204-17-8678xw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563240/original/file-20231204-17-8678xw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563240/original/file-20231204-17-8678xw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=317&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563240/original/file-20231204-17-8678xw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563240/original/file-20231204-17-8678xw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/563240/original/file-20231204-17-8678xw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=398&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">CoastSnap photos are converted to a miniature satellite image using a process known as photogrammetry.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Mitchell Harley</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>From local to global: a network of community beach monitoring</h2>
<p>From its beginnings on the Northern Beaches of Sydney in 2017, new CoastSnap stations have been rolled out all around the world. We now have more than 350 CoastSnap stations in 31 countries and across five continents. </p>
<p>This makes it the largest coordinated network of coastal monitoring worldwide – and all the data is collected by the community.</p>
<p>In Ghana, West Africa, students from local schools are using CoastSnap to <a href="https://theconversation.com/ghanas-fishing-industry-has-a-golden-seaweed-problem-how-citizen-science-can-help-203007">better understand how the “golden seaweed” sargassum impacts fishing communities</a>.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/like-20-tip-trucks-pouring-sand-on-every-metre-wide-strip-how-extreme-storms-can-replenish-beaches-not-just-erode-them-182039">‘Like 20 tip trucks pouring sand on every metre-wide strip’: how extreme storms can replenish beaches, not just erode them</a>
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<p>On Prince Edward Island in Canada, CoastSnap captured the <a href="https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/prince-edward-island/pei-fiona-coastal-climate-change-1.6599408">damage done by Hurricane Fiona last year</a>. The same stations are now being used to track the post-hurricane dune recovery.</p>
<p>In Australia, there are currently 125 CoastSnap stations around the country. This enables a big-picture assessment of the coastal consequences of large-scale weather events. For example, during <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-east-coast-rain-seems-endless-where-on-earth-is-all-the-water-coming-from-178316">last year’s record rainfall in eastern Australia</a>, extreme erosion was observed at CoastSnap stations from Queensland to southern New South Wales. The images reveal scouring by floodwaters was the main cause of beach erosion in many locations, rather than wave action as is usually the case.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="TiktokEmbed" data-react-props="{"url":"https://www.tiktok.com/@coastsnap/video/7192798251588898049"}"></div></p>
<h2>Monitoring the present to plan for the future</h2>
<p>Data on coastal change is crucial for managing coastlines into the future. This is particularly important as sea levels continue to rise, storm tracks shift, and beaches come under increasing pressure from overdevelopment.</p>
<p>With several CoastSnap stations already operating for over six years now, this growing record is beginning to observe longer-term changes to the coast. This data is being fed into numerical models that help coastal researchers predict what the coastline will be like in the coming decades – and plan accordingly.</p>
<p>Smart coastal planning will help buffer climate change impacts. This will go some way to ensure future generations can enjoy the coast like we do today. </p>
<p>So as you head out to the beach this summer, look out for your nearest CoastSnap station and help monitor the coastline – it really is a “snap”!</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/storms-or-sea-level-rise-what-really-causes-beach-erosion-209213">Storms or sea-level rise – what really causes beach erosion?</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/214307/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mitchell Harley receives funding from the Australian Research Council. He is also the New South Wales Chair of the Australian Coastal Society.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Fred Chaaya works for the University Of New South Wales Water Research Laboratory, which manages the CoastSnap project and network.</span></em></p>With smartphones as commonplace as towels and sunscreen in the beach bag, why not add coastal data collection to your list of holiday activities this summer? Look for the CoastSnap camera cradles.Mitchell Harley, Scientia Senior Lecturer, UNSW SydneyFred Chaaya, Project Engineer, UNSW Water Research LaboratoryLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2155812023-12-06T13:26:50Z2023-12-06T13:26:50ZCitizen science projects tend to attract white, affluent, well-educated volunteers − here’s how we recruited a more diverse group to identify lead pipes in homes<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562552/original/file-20231129-21-kkvov4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=32%2C8%2C5431%2C3628&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">A lead pipe in the kitchen ceiling of a home in Newark, N.J.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://newsroom.ap.org/detail/NewarkLeadInWater/fb4c11b248d84f63ba555307855d6e23/photo">AP Photo/Julio Cortez</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Recruiting participants for a citizen science project produced a <a href="http://dx.doi.org/%2010.5334/cstp.627">more diverse group</a> when people were signed up through partner organizations, such as schools and faith-based organizations, than when they joined on their own. We used this approach to recruit volunteers for <a href="http://crowdthetap.org">Crowd the Tap</a>, a citizen science initiative that crowdsources the locations of lead plumbing in homes.</p>
<p>We signed up 2,519 households through partner organizations, in addition to 497 households that signed up on their own. We recruited households from all 50 states, though the majority came from North Carolina. Our project was initially funded by the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/">Environmental Protection Agency</a>, which led to nationwide sampling, but additional funding from the <a href="https://wrri.ncsu.edu/">North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute</a> led to prioritizing sampling in North Carolina. </p>
<p>We recruited 2.2 times more Black participants and 2.3 times more Hispanic or Latino participants through partnerships than we did through individual sign-ups. This allowed us to assemble a group of volunteers that <a href="https://www.census.gov/quickfacts/fact/table/US/RHI125222">more accurately represented the U.S. population</a>. In addition, 11.2 times more lower-income participants took part in Crowd the Tap through partner organizations than on their own. </p>
<p><iframe id="AKeiu" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/AKeiu/3/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<h2>Why it matters</h2>
<p><a href="https://citizenscience.org/">Citizen science projects</a> use volunteers to collect data for scientific research. They can provide researchers with data that otherwise might not be available, such as the type of water pipes in people’s homes. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, many of these projects run by scientists at research institutions often <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/biosci/biac035">fail to engage diverse participants</a>. When this happens, the projects can produce datasets that are <a href="https://acme-journal.org/index.php/acme/article/view/2178">biased toward predominantly white and higher-income communities</a>. </p>
<p>Lead poisoning mainly affects <a href="https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev-soc-073117-041222">lower-income communities of color</a>, so citizen science as traditionally conducted was unlikely to provide representative data on exposure to it. As scholars who study <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=DjJZRlAAAAAJ&hl=en">citizen science</a>, <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/valerie-ann-johnson-712b4a47/">community science</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=8C8IzV0AAAAJ&hl=en">public engagement</a>, we needed to <a href="https://idealscience.org/">overcome this diversity challenge</a>. </p>
<p>Lead plumbing is the primary cause of <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-us-is-making-plans-to-replace-all-of-its-lead-water-pipes-from-coast-to-coast-173963">lead contamination in drinking water</a> in the U.S. No amount of lead in drinking water is <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water">safe for human consumption</a>.</p>
<p>Use of lead plumbing in public water systems and facilities that provide drinking water for human use has been <a href="https://www.epa.gov/sdwa/use-lead-free-pipes-fittings-fixtures-solder-and-flux-drinking-water">banned in the U.S. since 1986</a>. The federal government is working to replace <a href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/lead-service-lines">an estimated 9.2 million lead service lines</a> – the pipes that carry water from city water lines to individual homes – to reduce the risk of lead poisoning.</p>
<p>However, there is almost no data on drinking water pipe materials inside homes, so people could still be at risk for lead contamination. Any U.S. homes built before 1986 could have either <a href="https://www.bobvila.com/articles/lead-pipes/">lead pipes or lead solder</a> in their plumbing systems.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562995/original/file-20231201-29-wa39bn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Infographic showing that solder, faucets or galvanized pipes inside homes can contain lead." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562995/original/file-20231201-29-wa39bn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562995/original/file-20231201-29-wa39bn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562995/original/file-20231201-29-wa39bn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562995/original/file-20231201-29-wa39bn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=586&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562995/original/file-20231201-29-wa39bn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=736&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562995/original/file-20231201-29-wa39bn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=736&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/562995/original/file-20231201-29-wa39bn.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=736&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The federal government is working to replace lead service lines that run from public water lines to homes, but there can be other lead sources in indoor plumbing, especially in older buildings.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.epa.gov/ground-water-and-drinking-water/basic-information-about-lead-drinking-water">EPA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Participants in Crowd the Tap identify the types of pipes they have using a magnet and a penny. If the magnet sticks, the pipe is steel. If the magnet doesn’t stick, participants scratch the pipe with a penny. A scratch the color of a penny indicates that the pipe is copper; if it has no shine, the pipe is plastic; and if it has silver streaks, the pipe is lead. People also conduct a simple at-home water chemistry test and provide information on the age of their home. </p>
<p>We combine this data to classify households based on the risk that they may have lead contamination. Anyone found to be at risk receives free laboratory testing of their water. Participants who have their water tested receive resources on how to address lead contamination in their water. </p>
<h2>How we did our work</h2>
<p>We got people to sign up for this project through high school and university classrooms and a Verizon corporate volunteer program. We also ran internship programs at North Carolina State University, where the students are predominantly white and signed up members of their own communities, and Shaw University, a historically Black university in Raleigh, North Carolina, where students recruited members of various faith communities. </p>
<p>Partnerships with historically Black colleges and universities, or HBCUs, and high school classrooms were especially valuable for engaging Black and Hispanic or Latino participants. The intern program at North Carolina State University was helpful for engaging lower-income participants.</p>
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<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/pgVwTclpN6A?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">This video explains to Crowd the Tap participants how to identify the types of pipes in their homes.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Faith communities received a stipend for engaging their members in Crowd the Tap through our partnership with the North Carolina Council of Churches’ <a href="https://ncchurches.org/programs">Partners in Health and Wholeness program</a>. We also adapted our project based on feedback we received from older faith community members, who indicated that our online data collection portal was too complicated. </p>
<p>In response, we made questions about demographics and water taste and color optional. Even though these questions helped us answer our research questions, they were a barrier for people who we were trying to engage. </p>
<p>Volunteers who signed up directly for Crowd the Tap came mostly from white households. Working with other organizations, we assembled a more racially and ethnically diverse set of participants. We see our results as a promising step toward making larger-scale citizen science projects more diverse. </p>
<p><em>The <a href="https://theconversation.com/us/topics/research-brief-83231">Research Brief</a> is a short take on interesting academic work.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215581/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Caren Cooper received funding from the Environmental Protection Agency, the North Carolina Water Resources Research Institute, and the National Science Foundation. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Valerie Ann Johnson received funding from the National Science Foundation and NASA SCoPE Seed Grant Project . She is affiliated with the Association for Advancing Participatory Sciences (Citizen Science Association). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Danielle Lin Hunter does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>For a project on identifying lead water pipes in homes, outreach through partner groups produced a more representative set of volunteers.Danielle Lin Hunter, Postdoctoral Scholar in Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State UniversityCaren Cooper, Associate Professor of Forestry and Environmental Resources, North Carolina State UniversityValerie Ann Johnson, Dean of Arts, Sciences, and Humanities and Professor of Sociology, Shaw UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2166452023-11-29T02:35:13Z2023-11-29T02:35:13ZWe analysed citizen science to find Australia’s top 10 most elusive birds<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/562126/original/file-20231128-19-uea8xs.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=72%2C36%2C5934%2C3908&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/woman-sun-hat-looks-view-through-2316061461">Jjay69, Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Australia is one of the greatest places to see birds. We are fortunate to have more than 800 different bird species across the nation. At least 370 species are found nowhere else on Earth. They range from the iconic <a href="https://theconversation.com/the-smarter-the-magpie-the-better-they-can-handle-our-noisy-cities-214387">Australian magpie</a> to the migratory <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-are-dead-and-dying-seabirds-washing-up-on-our-beaches-in-their-hundreds-217349">short-tailed shearwater</a>, the <a href="https://theconversation.com/100-years-ago-this-man-discovered-an-exquisite-parrot-thought-to-be-extinct-what-came-next-is-a-tragedy-we-must-not-repeat-171939">golden-shouldered parrot</a> and the delightful <a href="https://theconversation.com/fairy-wrens-are-more-likely-to-help-their-closest-friends-but-not-strangers-just-like-us-humans-198231">superb fairy-wren</a>. </p>
<p>Every day, thousands of birdwatchers are out spotting birds. Yet despite this enthusiasm, there’s a lot still to learn. <a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-200-australian-birds-are-now-threatened-with-extinction-and-climate-change-is-the-biggest-danger-172751">More than 200 species are already listed as threatened with extinction</a> but others may also be struggling and we just don’t know it yet. </p>
<p>In <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01584197.2023.2283443">our new research</a>, we used citizen science data to rank Australia’s birds in terms of how well they are known. We looked at how often birdwatchers spot each species and where they find birds, compared with how often they look, to determine rates of survey success. This quantifies how “well known” each species is.</p>
<p>We found a quarter of all Australian bird species can be considered well surveyed and adequately represented in our sightings databases. Many of these species have ranges that overlap with the densely populated regions of Australia. And some, like the southern cassowary and eastern rosella, are well known to most Australians. At the other end of the spectrum, some birds are very hard to find. Here’s Australia’s top 10 most elusive birds. </p>
<p><iframe id="tc-infographic-998" class="tc-infographic" height="400px" src="https://cdn.theconversation.com/infographics/998/7601ad3ea3922b23e926988a3918ffea7ec96b8b/site/index.html" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australia-has-more-native-bird-species-than-almost-anywhere-else-what-led-to-this-explosion-of-diversity-215809">Australia has more native bird species than almost anywhere else. What led to this explosion of diversity?</a>
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<h2>Taking advantage of citizen science</h2>
<p>Before smartphones took off, birders would take notes in their private notebooks. They might share details of interesting sightings on internet forums or birdwatching clubs, but otherwise most knowledge was locked away from scientists and conservationists.</p>
<p>Now birders are increasingly taking advantage of easy-to-use birding apps such as <a href="https://ebird.org/home">eBird</a> run by Cornell Lab of Ornithology in the United States, and <a href="https://birdata.birdlife.org.au">Birdata</a> from Birdlife Australia. </p>
<p>Collectively, these two platforms contain more than 40 million bird occurrence records spanning the entire country. That represents 3.8 million volunteer hours, or more than 430 years of effort.</p>
<p>Using these apps, birdwatchers and scientists alike can quickly collate bird records at a specific location. </p>
<p>As conservation scientists and ornithologists, we wanted to work out how to identify species we know very little about because poorly known species may be disappearing without us realising. While some researchers have already highlighted serious declines in poorly known species like the <a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-red-goshawk-is-disappearing-how-can-we-save-our-rarest-bird-of-prey-from-extinction-200339%5d">red goshawk</a>, <a href="https://www.difficultbirds.com/swift-parrot#:%7E:text=Swift%20Parrots%20are%20a%20critically,in%20south%2Deastern%20mainland%20Australia.">swift parrot</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/is-the-buff-breasted-button-quail-still-alive-after-years-of-searching-this-century-old-bird-mystery-has-yet-to-be-solved-175647">buff-breasted buttonquail</a>, we recognised citizen science databases as a vast untapped source of knowledge for all of our native birds. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/560600/original/file-20231121-27-zkey1r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Australia's red goshawk, flying with outstretched wings in a cloudless a blue sky" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/560600/original/file-20231121-27-zkey1r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/560600/original/file-20231121-27-zkey1r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/560600/original/file-20231121-27-zkey1r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/560600/original/file-20231121-27-zkey1r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/560600/original/file-20231121-27-zkey1r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/560600/original/file-20231121-27-zkey1r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/560600/original/file-20231121-27-zkey1r.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Despite being highly sought after by birdwatchers, Australia’s red goshawk is one of the least reported bird species.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">James Watson</span></span>
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<h2>Australia’s most elusive birds</h2>
<p>In <a href="https://dx.doi.org/10.1080/01584197.2023.2283443">our new study</a>, published in the journal Emu (Austral Ornithology), we looked at millions of citizen science bird records. We focused on 581 terrestrial, native species. </p>
<p>We found a group of 56 “hide and seek” champions of Australia. These are the species which are seen least often by birdwatchers. Many of these species exhibit cryptic behaviour or are primarily nocturnal, which explains why they are not regularly seen by citizen scientists. However, we have serious concerns for a handful of these species. </p>
<p>The <a href="http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/sprat/public/publicspecies.pl?taxon_id=59714">Coxen’s fig parrot</a> emerges as a species of major concern. Birders recorded more than 300,000 surveys within this species’ range in the rainforests of south-east Queensland and northern New South Wales. Yet only four sightings of this tiny green parrot are documented in our combined citizen science database. None of these sightings were accompanied by photo or video evidence. In fact there has never been a photo of a live bird of this species. Our research suggests this species is well and truly “lost to science” and may already be extinct.</p>
<p>Another species of increasing concern is the buff-breasted buttonquail of far north Queensland. Only seven sightings of this bird are recorded in our combined dataset. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/01584197.2022.2090962">Recent research</a> suggests many <a href="https://www.worldsciencefestival.com.au/news/the-birding-mystery-of-the-buff-breasted-button-quail">reported sightings of this species may be mistaken</a>. As with the Coxen’s fig parrot, no photo of a living buff-breasted buttonquail has ever been taken. Nevertheless, there is some hope for this elusive species, as its range has been less comprehensively surveyed by birdwatchers. There is now a <a href="https://conservationpartners.org.au/cape-york-button-quail-3/">concerted effort to find them</a>.</p>
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<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/more-than-200-australian-birds-are-now-threatened-with-extinction-and-climate-change-is-the-biggest-danger-172751">More than 200 Australian birds are now threatened with extinction – and climate change is the biggest danger</a>
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<h2>We can all play a role</h2>
<p>Our analysis shows much of Australia is not frequented by birdwatchers, so birds in our least populated areas are still poorly known to contemporary science. Some of the most sparsely surveyed regions include Australia’s many deserts, and remote areas such as the Nullarbor Plain, Arnhem Land and western Cape York Peninsula. </p>
<p>Australians can help these elusive birds by heading outdoors with a smartphone and a pair of binoculars. Records of scarce birds will become increasingly important as species continue to decline. Even records of more common birds in backyards have value too. The more information we have, the more chance we can slow the rate of extinction and conserve our amazing birdlife.</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/our-mysterious-night-parrot-has-terrible-vision-but-we-discovered-it-might-be-able-to-hear-like-an-owl-200058">Our mysterious night parrot has terrible vision – but we discovered it might be able to hear like an owl</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/216645/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>James Watson has received funding from the Australian Research Council, National Environmental Science Program, South Australia's Department of Environment and Water as well as from Bush Heritage Australia, Queensland Conservation Council and Birdlife Australia. He serves on scientific committees for Bush Heritage Australia, climate start up Subak Australia, BirdLife Australia and has a long-term scientific relationship with the Wildlife Conservation Society. He serves on the Queensland Government's Land Restoration Fund's Investment Panel as the Deputy Chair. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Louis Backstrom does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Researchers used ‘citizen science’ birdwatching data to rank Australian species. Among the most elusive birds were ‘hide and seek’ champions and a few possibly headed for extinction.Louis Backstrom, PhD Student, University of St AndrewsJames Watson, Professor, The University of QueenslandLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2157132023-10-23T19:07:17Z2023-10-23T19:07:17Z2 biggest threats to wombats revealed in new data gathered by citizen scientists<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554914/original/file-20231020-29-trtuo9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=603%2C0%2C2951%2C2263&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/hello-human-being-1211705848">Sonijya/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Launched in 2015, <a href="https://www.womsat.org.au/womsat/default.aspx">WomSAT</a> (Wombat Survey and Analysis Tool) is a citizen science project and website that allows “wombat warriors” to report sightings of wombats, their burrows, and even <a href="https://theconversation.com/why-do-wombats-do-cube-shaped-poo-55975">their cube-shaped poops</a>.</p>
<p>The project initially aimed to uncover information on all things wombat from across Australia, particularly threats. Its ultimate aim is to support conservation, informed by an enhanced understanding of wombat biology. </p>
<p>WomSAT also aims to educate the wider community by using the hashtag #WombatWednesday to spread the word. The project has resulted in raising the profile of wombats in the broader community.</p>
<p>People have jumped onboard to support the charismatic species, and thousands of posts have been shared via social media.</p>
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<p>To date, citizen scientists across Australia have reported more than 23,000 wombat sightings to WomSAT. These sightings have recently been analysed and the findings published in <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/AM22001">Australian Mammalogy</a> and <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12776">Integrative Zoology</a>. </p>
<p>Importantly, the data have given us new insights into where to find two of the biggest threats: Australia’s wombat roadkill hotspots, and the worst areas for sarcoptic mange (a disease related to scabies).</p>
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<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/mangy-marsupials-wombats-are-catching-a-deadly-disease-and-we-urgently-need-a-plan-to-help-them-46755">Mangy marsupials: wombats are catching a deadly disease, and we urgently need a plan to help them</a>
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<hr>
<h2>Making our roads safer for wombats</h2>
<p>Wombats are large, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/AM20009">mostly grass-eating</a> native Australian marsupials. They play an essential role in maintaining biodiversity as <a href="https://doi.org/10.7882/AZ.2018.006">ecological engineers</a>. Through their burrowing, they maintain soil health and create habitat to support other plants and animals.</p>
<p>There are three species of wombats: the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/11343/21959050">critically endangered</a> northern hairy-nosed wombat (<em>Lasiorhinus krefftii</em>), the threatened southern hairy-nosed wombat (<em>L. latifrons</em>), and the bare-nosed or common wombat (<em>Vombatus ursinus</em>).</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554262/original/file-20231017-25-d98twg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A stout grey animal with pointy ears, black beady eyes and a stumpy snout" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554262/original/file-20231017-25-d98twg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554262/original/file-20231017-25-d98twg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=366&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554262/original/file-20231017-25-d98twg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=366&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554262/original/file-20231017-25-d98twg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=366&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554262/original/file-20231017-25-d98twg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554262/original/file-20231017-25-d98twg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554262/original/file-20231017-25-d98twg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Northern hairy-nosed wombats are critically endangered.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Photo by Graham and Linda Lee, used with permission from The Wombat Foundation.</span></span>
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<p>Like most Australian native animals, wombats are under threat on many different fronts – habitat destruction, changed fire regimes, competition from introduced species, and even direct persecution by humans, as they are deemed pests by some. The bare-nosed wombat is particularly impacted by roadkill and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1111/tbed.1277">sarcoptic mange</a>. </p>
<p>The new data reported to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1071/AM22001">WomSAT have identified roadkill hotspots</a> and factors affecting wombat vehicle collisions.
Several areas were identified as roadkill hotspots, including Old Bega Road and Steeple Flat Road in southern New South Wales. Most wombat roadkill deaths occurred in winter, and sadly most appeared otherwise healthy.</p>
<p>Having better data and identifying these roadkill hotspots will ultimately reduce road risks for people and wombats. We can target these hotspots using mitigation strategies such as reduced speeds, signage and barriers to prevent wombat crossing and avoid collisions.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554427/original/file-20231017-17-x1o8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A brown stout animal splayed on the grass, a hand marking a fluorescent yellow line on its back" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554427/original/file-20231017-17-x1o8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554427/original/file-20231017-17-x1o8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554427/original/file-20231017-17-x1o8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554427/original/file-20231017-17-x1o8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=476&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554427/original/file-20231017-17-x1o8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=599&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554427/original/file-20231017-17-x1o8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=599&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554427/original/file-20231017-17-x1o8ny.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=599&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A wombat killed on a road, being marked to indicate its pouch has been checked.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Hayley Stannard</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Mangy marsupials</h2>
<p>WomSAT data have also revealed that wombat populations in closer proximity to urban areas have more wombats with sarcoptic mange. Mange is a disease caused by the <em>Sarcoptes scabiei</em> mite.</p>
<p>In people this mite causes scabies. But in wombats, the disease is fatal if left untreated. The mites cause disease by burrowing into the skin of wombats, causing extreme itchiness and discomfort. Eventually it leads to large open wounds, and the wombat dies from secondary infections.</p>
<p>For sarcoptic mange reports, the season was not statistically significant, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/1749-4877.12776">but rainfall was</a>. This could potentially be because scabies mites thrive in more humid environments, but more research is needed. </p>
<p>Interestingly, our field research has also indicated that rainfall contributes to <a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/am/am20001">higher occurrence of sarcoptic mange</a> in specific populations we have monitored over several years.</p>
<p>Overall, roadkill events and sarcoptic mange are two of the biggest threats to bare-nosed wombats. As we continue to track both over time, it will help us to better understand and mitigate these threats.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554422/original/file-20231017-25-ejzl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A stout brown animal with wounds across its sides" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554422/original/file-20231017-25-ejzl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/554422/original/file-20231017-25-ejzl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554422/original/file-20231017-25-ejzl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554422/original/file-20231017-25-ejzl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=428&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554422/original/file-20231017-25-ejzl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=538&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554422/original/file-20231017-25-ejzl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=538&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/554422/original/file-20231017-25-ejzl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=538&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A wild wombat affected by sarcoptic mange.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Photo by John Creighton, used with permission.</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>You can become a wombat warrior too</h2>
<p>Recent upgrades to WomSAT will now allow GPS location data embedded in photos taken using smartphones. Importantly, this means users can upload wombat sightings when they come back into phone signal or internet range. </p>
<p>Users can also now upload information where wombats are <em>not</em> found, which provides important information on wombat distribution and abundance.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1592667149143019521"}"></div></p>
<p>Another new feature on WomSAT will assist wildlife carers to directly monitor and record treatment of wombats with sarcoptic mange in the field. In the past, treatment regimes have rarely been recorded. This will benefit the wider wildlife care network by highlighting areas where wombats are currently being treated, as well as new areas where wombats require treatment.</p>
<p>In the longer term, the resource will also help to support the development of better treatment regimes by recording treatment methods and tracking wombats (through photographs) to help monitor their recovery.</p>
<p>Regardless of the level of experience with wombats, everyone can get involved and become a wombat warrior. You can do so by <a href="https://www.womsat.org.au/womsat/pagecontent.aspx?page=wombat_recordobservations">reporting sightings of wombats</a> and their burrows to the <a href="https://womsat.org.au/womsat/">WomSAT website</a> via a mobile phone or computer.</p>
<p>Ongoing reporting to WomSAT will provide more insights into these amazing marsupials. It can be used to assist with determining wombat distribution and abundance patterns, as well as help manage the threats they face.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/215713/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Julie Old received funding from Emirates Airlines, Wolgan Valley Resort and Spa and NSW NPWS Curb Mange Grant to establish and upgrade the WomSAT website. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Hayley Stannard does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Contributors to the WomSAT website have already reported more than 23,000 wombat sightings. We can use the data to cut the risks to wombats – and anyone with a smartphone can help.Julie Old, Associate Professor, Biology, Zoology, Animal Science, Western Sydney UniversityHayley Stannard, Senior lecturer, Charles Sturt UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2123722023-09-27T01:24:00Z2023-09-27T01:24:00ZCitizen scientists collect more nature data than ever, showing us where common and threatened species live<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550296/original/file-20230926-29-ovbqmb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C1%2C998%2C661&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Citizen science isn’t new anymore. For decades, keen amateur naturalists have been gathering data about nature and the environment around them – and sharing it. </p>
<p>But what is new is the rate at which citizen scientists are collecting and sharing useful data. Last year, 10 million observations of species were collected. Our <a href="https://theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/articles/10.5334/cstp.564">new research</a> shows 9.6 million of those came from citizen scientists. It makes intuitive sense. There are only so many professional researchers. But nearly everyone now has a smartphone. </p>
<p>But if anyone can contribute data, how do you know it’s reliable? Was it really an antechinus, or was it a black rat? Despite the growing success in collecting data, there has long been scepticism over how reliable the data are when used to, say, estimate how abundant a threatened species is. </p>
<p>It turns out, citizen science is extremely useful – especially when paired with professionally collected data. </p>
<h2>How did we test it?</h2>
<p>It’s now much simpler and quicker to be a citizen scientist than it used to be. You might take a photo of an unusual mammal you spot at a campground, record your observations, and upload it to an app or website. This, in turn, has helped standardise the data and make it even more useful. Around Australia, thousands of people contribute regularly through platforms like iNaturalist, DigiVol, 1 Million Turtles, FrogID and Butterflies Australia. </p>
<p>When you upload your observation, it’s recorded in the database of the individual app. But data from all major citizen science apps is also shared with the <a href="https://www.ala.org.au/">Atlas of Living Australia</a>, Australia’s largest open-source open-access biodiversity data repository. </p>
<p>That’s important, because it means we can aggregate sightings across every app to get a better sense of what’s happening to a species or ecosystem.</p>
<p>To tackle the question of data reliability, we looked at what proportion of total records added to the data repository came from citizen scientists. </p>
<p>Then we chose three common species – shingleback lizards, Peron’s tree frog, and the red-browed firetail finch – and compared citizen science observations with professionally recorded data across their distribution.</p>
<p>For the shingleback lizard (<em>Tiliqua rugosa</em>), the majority of locations where it was sighted came from professional projects such as government programs and museums, with only 18.5% of locations drawn largely from citizen science. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550261/original/file-20230926-25-14uatg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="figure showing shingleback lizard locations from citizen science" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550261/original/file-20230926-25-14uatg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550261/original/file-20230926-25-14uatg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550261/original/file-20230926-25-14uatg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550261/original/file-20230926-25-14uatg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=483&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550261/original/file-20230926-25-14uatg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=606&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550261/original/file-20230926-25-14uatg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=606&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550261/original/file-20230926-25-14uatg.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=606&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">These three figures show species observations by citizen science method (green) and non-citizen science (purple). This is for the shingleback lizard.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Peron’s tree-frog (<em>Litoria peronii</em>) had 33.5% of its locations mainly contributed by citizen scientists.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550262/original/file-20230926-25-tzf8mm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="figure showing peron's tree frog locations from citizen science" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550262/original/file-20230926-25-tzf8mm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550262/original/file-20230926-25-tzf8mm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550262/original/file-20230926-25-tzf8mm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550262/original/file-20230926-25-tzf8mm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=484&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550262/original/file-20230926-25-tzf8mm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550262/original/file-20230926-25-tzf8mm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550262/original/file-20230926-25-tzf8mm.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=608&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Peron’s tree frog.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>But for the red-browed firetail (<em>Neochmia temporalis</em>), citizen science was the main contributor in over 86.5% of its locations.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550264/original/file-20230926-19-fvp2b9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="figure showing fire tailed finch locations from citizen science" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550264/original/file-20230926-19-fvp2b9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550264/original/file-20230926-19-fvp2b9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=482&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550264/original/file-20230926-19-fvp2b9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=482&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550264/original/file-20230926-19-fvp2b9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=482&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550264/original/file-20230926-19-fvp2b9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=605&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550264/original/file-20230926-19-fvp2b9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=605&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550264/original/file-20230926-19-fvp2b9.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=605&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Red-browed firetail finch.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Why the difference? We believe it’s due to the impact of long-running citizen science projects driven by enthusiasts. Birders are a large enthusiast community, while people who go herping (looking for reptiles) are a smaller group. </p>
<p>As a reflection of community enthusiasm, birds make up nearly 50% of all species observation records in the Atlas of Living Australia, with the Australian magpie the most commonly recorded species. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-counting-birds-to-speaking-out-how-citizen-science-leads-us-to-ask-crucial-questions-166673">From counting birds to speaking out: how citizen science leads us to ask crucial questions</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>What about rarely recorded species?</h2>
<p>Next, we looked at several species with fewer than 1,000 records to find out whether citizen science contributes less data when species are less conspicuous. </p>
<p>In fact, the reverse was often true. For some rare species, citizen science is proving invaluable in ongoing monitoring.</p>
<p>Take the threatened black rockcod (<em>Epinephelus daemelii</em>), a large, territorial fish which been decimated by spearfishing and other pressures. </p>
<p>Here, citizen science proved its worth, adding 63% of observations. Most data came from a few high profile projects, such as annual reef and fish surveys. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550477/original/file-20230927-17-4cplxp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="figure showing citizen science observations of black rockcod" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550477/original/file-20230927-17-4cplxp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/550477/original/file-20230927-17-4cplxp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550477/original/file-20230927-17-4cplxp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550477/original/file-20230927-17-4cplxp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=367&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550477/original/file-20230927-17-4cplxp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550477/original/file-20230927-17-4cplxp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/550477/original/file-20230927-17-4cplxp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=461&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This map shows black rockcod observations by citizen scientists and non-citizen scientists.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/">CC BY-NC-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Citizen science is coming of age</h2>
<p>For decades, citizen science has struggled to feed data into professional monitoring and conservation efforts. </p>
<p>But this is increasingly unfair. By combining citizen science data with professionally collected data, we can get the best of both worlds – a much richer picture of species’ distributions. </p>
<p>It’s only going to get better, as observation and citizen scientist numbers grow each year. There’s a large spectrum of projects, many with excellent data quality controls in place. </p>
<p>Citizen science has come a long way. The data created by keen amateurs is now of better quality, aided by new technologies and support from researchers. </p>
<p>Apps which add automatic time stamps, dates and locations make it much easier to validate observations. </p>
<p>This suggests there’s untapped potential for citizen science to contribute consistent data over significant parts of many species’ ranges, though the strength of this contribution will vary by species. </p>
<p>There’s still more to do to help citizen scientists contribute as usefully as they’d like to. For instance, observations tend to cluster in the regions around cities, because that’s where citizen scientists live. Citizen scientists can also favour larger, charismatic and brightly coloured species. </p>
<p>One method of improving collection could be to focus the interest of citizen scientists on a wider range of species. </p>
<p>For citizen scientists themselves, a big part of the appeal is the ability to create useful data to help the environment. Citizen scientist Jonathon Dashper, for instance, spends his spare time looking for frogs and recording fish. Why? He told us: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>My drive to contribute to citizen science is to further my understanding of the natural world and contribute to decision making on environmental matters. Using citizen science platforms, I have been able to learn so much about harder-to-identify organisms.</p>
</blockquote>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/scientists-need-help-to-save-nature-with-a-smartphone-and-these-8-tips-we-can-get-our-kids-on-the-case-192622">Scientists need help to save nature. With a smartphone and these 8 tips, we can get our kids on the case</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/212372/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Erin Roger works for the Atlas of Living Australia and CSIRO</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Cameron Slatyer works for the Atlas of Living Australia. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Dax Kellie works for the Atlas of Living Australia and CSIRO.</span></em></p>Citizen science is coming of age. The data are pouring in from observations by naturalists and birders.Erin Roger, Sector Lead, CSIROCameron Slatyer, Project Manager, Atlas of Living Australia, CSIRO, CSIRODax Kellie, Science Lead | Data Analyst, CSIROLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2132242023-09-15T15:27:29Z2023-09-15T15:27:29ZSustainable use of natural resources: lessons from Pantanal communities<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/548131/original/file-20230913-27-yb46y4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C17%2C3840%2C2138&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Pantanal fisherman</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">WALDECk SOUZA/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>“How can we use nature in a sustainable way?” That is a question I, together with colleagues from different parts of the world, have sought to answer for a decade. We are dedicated to studying issues related to the sustainable use of natural resources.</p>
<p>The question may seem simple, but to date no complete answers have been found. Recently, the traditional communities of the <a href="https://www.worldwildlife.org/places/pantanal">Pantanal</a>, a wetland region that extends across parts of Brazil, Paraguay and Bolivia, have helped us to better understand this question.</p>
<p>Since the late 1940s, when it became clear that human beings could deplete natural resources, scientists have studied this issue further. The most widely accepted approach since then has essentially been a <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/2629906">Game Theory</a> one, based on the hypothesis that people make choices primarily on the basis of individual benefit. In other words, human behaviour aims to maximise profits, regardless of the long-term impact. Thus, according to this theory, the possibility of running out of the resources on which we depend is part of human history, which is called the <a href="https://www.econlib.org/library/Enc/TragedyoftheCommons.html">“tragedy of the commons”</a> or the <a href="https://blogs.cornell.edu/info2040/2012/09/24/prisoners-dilemma-and-the-environment/">“prisoner’s dilemma”</a>.</p>
<p>However, when we ask ourselves how humanity, which has inhabited the planet for around 300,000 years, has managed to get this far without exhausting all its resources, Game Theory itself suggests an answer. It points out that it is possible to avoid the “tragedy of the commons” by adopting a set of rules that regulate short-term choices. In other words, regulatory measures are needed to ensure that the pursuit of individual benefit does not harm society as a whole in the long term.</p>
<p>Initially, it was believed that only the state or private property laws could fulfil this role of protecting our natural resources. However, in the 1990s, <a href="https://www.elinorostrom.com">Elinor Ostrom</a> demonstrated that traditional communities, without private property or state intervention, were also able to prevent the collapse of natural resources. They developed their own rules to ensure long-term sustainable use, and these traditional systems were called “common property regimes”. Ostrom’s studies won her the <a href="https://www.nobelprize.org/prizes/economic-sciences/2009/summary/">Nobel Prize for Economics</a> in 2009. Yet there was still a missing piece to the sustainability puzzle.</p>
<p>All solutions to the problem of the tragedy of the commons are based on the idea of predictability. Agreements, rules and regulations are respected for the future benefits they can bring. In other words, society first recognises the impact that the overuse of resources may have in the future and then implements measures to prevent the collapse of nature and everyone who depends on it. This presupposes that we understand and respect the complex dynamics of nature. However, this is not always the case, and the Pantanal is a great examples of this.</p>
<p>The Pantanal is one of the largest floodplains in the world and its main characteristic is the <a href="https://www.researchgate.net/publication/269803693_Seasonal_Pantanal_flood_pulse_Implications_for_biodiversity_conservation_-_A_review">flood pulse</a>. This phenomenon causes specific areas to flood at different times. For the Pantanal’s riverside communities who depend on fishing, this represents a highly unpredictable system. They need to determine, on a weekly basis, which bays and rivers they can access. In <a href="https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10060525/7/Chiaravalloti_et_al-2018-Conservation_Letters.pdf">our study</a>, we quantified that within an area of approximately 300 possibilities, only two or three bays will be suitable for fishing. Given this, there is no predictability of natural resources and therefore the solutions found for the tragedy of the commons don’t work.</p>
<p>In order to understand how riverside communities survive in this system, we applied various methodologies, including ethnographic studies, <a href="https://discovery.ucl.ac.uk/id/eprint/10144603/1/Conservat%20Sci%20and%20Prac%20-%202021%20-%20Chiaravalloti%20-%20Extreme%20citizen%20science%20%20Lessons%20learned%20from%20initiatives%20around%20the%20globe.pdf">citizen science</a> and <a href="https://ecologyandsociety.org/vol26/iss2/art30/">analyses of social networks and wealth</a>. The conclusion we reached is that, in unpredictable systems, regulations about what is allowed and what is not are not fixed. The riverside communities of the Pantanal, therefore, rely on a high level of reciprocity and mobility to survive and avoid the tragedy of the commons.</p>
<p>In practice, the community’s residents communicate and help each other to identify which bays to use, constantly rotating the use of natural resources. Without central regulation, but through communication and mobility, they survive and also protect nature. This is what we call a <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/pdf/10.1073/pnas.1812028115">complex adaptive system</a>.</p>
<p>What’s more, we’ve shown that the riverside communities of the Pantanal aren’t the only ones who rely on this practice. <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12826">Pastoralist communities in Africa</a>, <a href="https://conbio.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/conl.12826">hunters and gatherers in the Philippines</a> and certainly many other groups around the world also make sustainable use of natural resources, even without predictability or central regulation.</p>
<p>The findings from the Pantanal can be applied to issues other than natural resources. We can think of the importance of sharing information about job opportunities with our competitors to increase our chances, sharing patents to facilitate the search for solutions and, of course, the importance of sharing information to deal with climate change. In general, considering the lessons of the Pantanal’s riverside communities on how to live more sustainably is perhaps the best thing we can do.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/213224/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rafael Chiaravalloti received support from the Science without Borders Programme, funded by the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Capes) and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq).</span></em></p>Riverside communities in the Pantanal make sustainable use of natural resources within an unpredictable system.Rafael Morais Chiaravalloti, Lecturer in Environmental Anthropology, UCLLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2089302023-07-03T20:07:16Z2023-07-03T20:07:16ZTurtles on the tarmac could delay flights at Western Sydney airport<p>Amid the controversy surrounding <a href="https://www.abc.net.au/news/2023-06-27/western-sydney-airport-flight-paths-made-public/102524808">preliminary flight paths</a> for <a href="https://www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au/">Western Sydney’s new airport</a>, another potential challenge is looming: turtles on the tarmac. </p>
<p>The land surrounding Sydney’s newest airport is prime nesting area for native turtles. This may create problems for the airport’s operations. </p>
<p>Turtle invasions at airports are not unprecedented. In recent years, a freshwater turtle was found wandering around <a href="https://m.facebook.com/SydneyAirport/photos/a.302787769759897/2906361926069122/?type=3&locale=zh_CN">Sydney Airport</a>, which is built on Botany Bay. In 2021, a turtle strolling across a runway in Japan <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2021/sep/28/turtle-slow-moving-reptile-delays-five-planes-at-japan-airport">delayed five planes</a>. A few years earlier, a passenger plane <a href="https://qcostarica.com/turtle-shuts-down-limon-airport/">aborted takeoff</a> because a 1.5m leatherback turtle was on the runway. And at John F. Kennedy International Airport in New York, employees <a href="https://globalnews.ca/news/644989/nyc-airport-gets-barrier-to-protect-runway-from-armoured-short-slow-moving-turtle-threat/">carried 1,300 turtles</a> off the tarmac in one nesting season alone. </p>
<p>Our expertise spans zoology, conservation biology and ecology. We know individual freshwater turtles can wander well beyond their wetland habitat into areas where they pose a risk to aviation safety, if proper planning is not in place. We urge authorities to incorporate turtle-friendly features into the airport’s design and make contingency plans for these remarkable reptiles.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Western Sydney airport: construction is well underway.</span></figcaption>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/our-turtle-program-shows-citizen-science-isnt-just-great-for-data-it-makes-science-feel-personal-155142">Our turtle program shows citizen science isn't just great for data, it makes science feel personal</a>
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<h2>Western Sydney airport is turtle nesting habitat</h2>
<p>Freshwater turtles face an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0960982220306369">uncertain future</a>. Their numbers in Australia are <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-39096-3">declining</a>. Globally, more than half of all freshwater turtle species face <a href="https://www.cell.com/current-biology/fulltext/S0960-9822(20)30636-9">extinction</a>. </p>
<p><a href="https://www.publish.csiro.au/zo/zo17065">Collisions with vehicles</a> are a main cause of death for adult freshwater turtles across south-eastern Australia. And data collected through the <a href="https://1millionturtles.com">1 Million Turtles</a> citizen science tool <a href="https://TurtleSAT.org.au">TurtleSAT</a> reveals Western Sydney is a roadkill hotspot. </p>
<p>Wetlands, including the area around the new airport at Badgerys Creek, serve as prime nesting habitat. Citizen science data also feeds into our world-first predictive <a href="https://emydura6.users.earthengine.app/view/predicted-nests-and-water-bodies">nest mapping tool</a>, which confirms Sydney’s newest airport is prime nesting area for both long- and short-neck turtles. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535185/original/file-20230703-213604-aa70gw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535185/original/file-20230703-213604-aa70gw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535185/original/file-20230703-213604-aa70gw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535185/original/file-20230703-213604-aa70gw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=537&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535185/original/file-20230703-213604-aa70gw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=675&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535185/original/file-20230703-213604-aa70gw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=675&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535185/original/file-20230703-213604-aa70gw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=675&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">Left, hotspots of turtle roadkill in Western Sydney. Right, predicting turtle nesting areas at Western Sydney airport.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">TurtleSAT and 1 Million Turtles</span></span>
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<p>Turtles nest throughout the airport district from November to January. Given the number of wetlands and the extent of cleared, open vegetation, turtles can be expected to emerge from the water and traverse the entire area during this period.</p>
<p>Between nesting seasons, eastern long-necked turtles often move between wetlands on rainy days.</p>
<p>Redirecting turtles away from runways (and roads) is a challenging but feasible task. It requires proactive planning, integration of turtle-friendly design elements, and recognition of their significance in environmental impact assessments. </p>
<p>Construction of the Western Sydney airport involved filling in streams and farm dams. The Environmental Impact Statement for the project, released in 2016, <a href="https://www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au/sites/default/files/WSA-EIS-Volume-2a-Chapter-16-Biodiversity.pdf">recognised</a> the threat to turtles. To mitigate the impact on aquatic animals generally, the proponents planned to salvage and relocate them to nearby habitats deemed suitable. </p>
<p>A spokesperson for Western Sydney airport, contacted for comment on this story, said all of the required wildlife and risk management procedures would be in place when the airport opens in late 2026. She said the turtle habitat was well outside of the airport site, so the risk of turtles on the runway was negligible.</p>
<p>But around the airport, many streams and wetlands remain. So we believe there’s still a chance turtles will enter the airport grounds and, potentially, walk onto runways.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/young-cold-blooded-animals-are-suffering-the-most-as-earth-heats-up-research-finds-190606">Young cold-blooded animals are suffering the most as Earth heats up, research finds</a>
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<h2>Turtles at the crossroads</h2>
<p>Turtles are often little more than an afterthought in hectic construction plans and timetables. Wetlands are often filled in and roads built without any thought to wildlife crossings. </p>
<p>Our study of the wetlands of Western Sydney, and the corridor between north-western and south-western Sydney, found up to 25% of wetlands were lost <a href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.06.22.12736">in the last decade alone</a>. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535249/original/file-20230703-240908-y2xpsk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A map showing the change in western Sydney wetland surface area between 2010 and 2017 by local government area" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535249/original/file-20230703-240908-y2xpsk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535249/original/file-20230703-240908-y2xpsk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535249/original/file-20230703-240908-y2xpsk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535249/original/file-20230703-240908-y2xpsk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535249/original/file-20230703-240908-y2xpsk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=948&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535249/original/file-20230703-240908-y2xpsk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=948&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535249/original/file-20230703-240908-y2xpsk.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=948&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">Change in western Sydney wetland surface area between 2010 and 2017 by local government area: more than 1% increase (green), 0-10% decrease (orange), more than 10% decrease (red).</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Harriet Gabites</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
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<p>While groups such as <a href="https://www.wildconservation.com.au/turtle-rescues-nsw/">Turtle Rescue NSW</a> can relocate wildlife such as turtles, eels and fish, many animals die when streams and wetlands are <a href="https://www.westernsydneyairport.gov.au/sites/default/files/WSA-EIS-Volume-2a-Chapter-16-Biodiversity.pdf">drained and filled</a> during development.</p>
<p>Western Sydney’s new airport offers an opportunity to break this pattern. Construction has passed the half-way mark but it’s not too late to incorporate turtle-friendly infrastructure such as <a href="https://scholarworks.umass.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1466&context=theses">specialised underpasses</a> and <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/wlb3.01012">fencing</a> to guide these slow-paced wanderers away from high-risk areas. We also need monitoring programs to check interventions are working and identify any problems along the way. </p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/our-turtle-program-shows-citizen-science-isnt-just-great-for-data-it-makes-science-feel-personal-155142">Our research</a> emphasises education and awareness campaigns foster a culture of understanding and respect. This is important to ensure the long-term survival of turtles in the region. </p>
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<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535178/original/file-20230703-120725-20iemj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535178/original/file-20230703-120725-20iemj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/535178/original/file-20230703-120725-20iemj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=282&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535178/original/file-20230703-120725-20iemj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=282&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535178/original/file-20230703-120725-20iemj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=282&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535178/original/file-20230703-120725-20iemj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535178/original/file-20230703-120725-20iemj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/535178/original/file-20230703-120725-20iemj.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=354&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
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<span class="caption">A short neck turtle, with a swamp hen photobomber in the background, basking in a freshwater pond at Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">TurtleSAT</span></span>
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<h2>It’s not too late for Western Sydney’s turtles</h2>
<p>We must prioritise turtle-friendly design and integrate turtles into environmental impact assessments for major developments. </p>
<p>The likely presence of turtles on runways at Western Sydney’s new airport warrants immediate attention. The project and its network of major roads are a chance to demonstrate how major urban infrastructure and wildlife can coexist harmoniously. </p>
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<p><em>We acknowledge the vital contribution of Western Sydney University masters student Harriet Gabites to research on the turtles of Western Sydney and this article.</em></p>
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<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/why-western-sydney-is-feeling-the-heat-from-climate-change-more-than-the-rest-of-the-city-201477">Why Western Sydney is feeling the heat from climate change more than the rest of the city</a>
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<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/208930/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Ricky Spencer receives funding from Australian Research Council, Department of Industry, Science and Resources, Aussie Ark and WIRES. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Deborah Bower works for the University of New England and receives funding from the Australian Research Council, NSW Department of Planning and Environment, NSW Northern Tablelands Local Land Service, SA Department of Environment and Water, and the Australian Federal Citizen Science Program.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>James Van Dyke receives funding from the Australian Research Council and the Australian Federal Citizen Science program. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Michael B. Thompson receives funding from the Australian Research Council. </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Richard Thomas does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Turtles could spell trouble for Western Sydney Airport, which is being built in a wetland. But it’s not too late to include turtle-friendly infrastructure such as underpasses and fences.Ricky Spencer, Associate Professor of Ecology, Western Sydney UniversityDeborah Bower, Associate Professor in Zoology and Ecology, University of New EnglandJames Van Dyke, Associate Professor in Biomedical Sciences, La Trobe UniversityMichael B Thompson, Emeritus Professor in Zoology, University of SydneyRichard Thomas, Senior lecturer, Western Sydney UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2037302023-06-09T09:07:39Z2023-06-09T09:07:39ZMae’n bryd i ni ailfeddwl beth yw gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/531082/original/file-20230609-27-o8jhd0.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C35%2C7951%2C5261&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Mae gwerthuso beth yw gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion yn golygu edrych ar y cysyniad o wyddoniaeth ei hun. </span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Charles F. Kaye/Shutterstock</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Mae gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion yn ddull poblogaidd o gasglu data ar gyfer gwyddonwyr naturiol a chymdeithasol, ac mae nifer y prosiectau a'r cyhoeddiadau a gynhyrchir yn <a href="https://sciencetechnologystudies.journal.fi/article/view/60425">tyfu o flwyddyn i flwyddyn</a>. Mae prosiect gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion nodweddiadol yn defnyddio gwirfoddolwyr i gasglu data a fyddai, fel arall, yn anfforddiadwy neu'n anhygyrch.</p>
<p>Ond, yn seiliedig ar y dystiolaeth a gasglwyd gennym yn ystod <a href="https://theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/article/10.5334/cstp.503/">ein hastudiaeth</a> o anghydfod cynllunio hirsefydlog ym Mro Morgannwg, credwn ei bod yn bryd ehangu ein dealltwriaeth o wyddoniaeth dinasyddion i gynnwys ystod lawer ehangach o weithgareddau. Mae'r rhain yn cynnwys astudio cyfraith cynllunio ac amgylcheddol, yn ogystal â chadw’n gyfredol â'r wyddoniaeth sy'n dylanwadu ar benderfyniadau'r llywodraeth.</p>
<h2>Beth yw gwyddoniaeth?</h2>
<p>I’r rhai sy’n arddel safbwynt traddodiadol, mae gwyddoniaeth yn weithgaredd gwrthrychol sy'n cynhyrchu gwybodaeth, a lle bo trylwyredd yn arwain at ganfod gwirioneddau. Mewn cyferbyniad â hynny, ystyrir gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion yn aml mewn <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/59/11/977/251421?login=true">termau eithaf cul</a>. Ac er bod cydweithrediad rhwng gwyddonwyr amatur a phroffesiynol yn seiliedig ar ddiddordebau a rennir, mae cynllunio prosiectau a dadansoddi data yn nwylo gwyddonwyr proffesiynol o hyd. Mae hynny'n golygu bod yna hierarchaeth glir.</p>
<p>Mae'r hyn y mae cymdeithas yn ei elwa o brosiectau o'r fath yn aml yn cael ei feincnodi yn erbyn pa un a oes gwelliant wedi bod yn nealltwriaeth y cyhoedd o'r pwnc ai peidio. Fodd bynnag, nid oes yna unrhyw synnwyr amlwg y gallai gwyddoniaeth ddysgu gan wyddonwyr ddinasyddion neu gael ei herio ganddynt.</p>
<p>Rydym yn gweithio o fewn astudiaethau gwyddoniaeth a thechnoleg (STS) sy'n edrych ar y modd y cawsant eu creu a'u datblygu. Rydym yn astudio’r modd y mae gwyddoniaeth a thechnoleg yn eistedd o fewn eu cyd-destunau hanesyddol, diwylliannol a chymdeithasol. Felly, ar y sail honno, credwn fod yna rôl wahanol iawn i wyddoniaeth dinasyddion.</p>
<p>Mae llenyddiaeth STS yn awgrymu bod gwyddoniaeth yn <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262035682/the-handbook-of-science-and-technology-studies/">gymdeithasol luniedig</a>. Hynny yw, mae'r modd yr ydym yn gweld ac yn dehongli'r byd o'n cwmpas yn dibynnu ar argaeledd offer gwyddonol megis microsgopau, synwyryddion amgylcheddol, ac ati. Mae angen cyllid digonol ar gyfer hynny, yn ogystal â dull dadansoddi a dderbynnir yn gyffredinol. Ac mae angen cytundeb a chyfaddawd rhwng blaenoriaethau a buddiannau grwpiau gwahanol o bobl yn achos y ddwy elfen hyn.</p>
<p>Felly, os yw gwyddoniaeth yn tueddu i atgynhyrchu braint a phersbectif grwpiau elitaidd, yna mae gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion yn cynnig y posibilrwydd o <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203202395/citizen-science-alan-irwin">wyddoniaeth i'r bobl, gan y bobl</a>. Byddai hyn yn gwneud gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion yn weithgarwch lle mae gwybodaeth yn cael ei chynhyrchu o fewn cymunedau.</p>
<p>Gallai herio'r math o wyddoniaeth a ddefnyddir yn y penderfyniadau sy'n effeithio ar ein bywydau a'n llesiant, megis pennu lefelau diogel o allyriadau, neu benderfyniadau ar seilwaith.</p>
<h2>Y Barri</h2>
<p>Aethom ati i astudio gwrthdaro cynllunio hirsefydlog yn y Barri, sydd wedi bod yndigwydd ers 2008. Mae'n ymwneud â gwaith bio-màs yng nghanol y dref, y mae ymgyrchwyr amgylcheddol lleol yn dadlau y dylid ei ddymchwel.</p>
<p>Mae'r gwaith, sy'n eiddo i Aviva Investors ar hyn o bryd, yn <a href="https://www.endswasteandbioenergy.com/article/1814105/avivas-barry-biomass-plant-appeal-heard-may">aros am benderfyniad</a> gan Penderfyniadau Cynllunio ac Amgylchedd Cymru ynghylch a all ddechrau gweithredu ai peidio. Saif 100 metr yn unig o ystad dai newydd sbon yn ardal dociau'r dref. Mae rhai rhannau o'r Barri yn parhau i fod yn uchel ar <a href="https://statscymru.llyw.cymru/Catalogue/Community-Safety-and-Social-Inclusion/Welsh-Index-of-Multiple-Deprivation">fynegai amddifadedd lluosog Cymru</a>, sef mesur tlodi swyddogol llywodraeth Cymru.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Golygfa o'r awyr o ddŵr. Tu ôl y dŵr, mae yna safle ddiwydianol a thref gyda nifer o dai a strydoedd." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Golygfa o'r awyr o dref y Barri, gyda'r gwaith bio-màs anweithredol yn y canol.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ade Pitman</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Edrychon ar y modd y mae aelodau Grŵp Gwyddoniaeth Dinasyddion y Barri (BCSG) wedi ceisio <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58413660">atal</a> y gwaith bio-màs rhag gweithredu. Maent wedi treulio 15 mlynedd yn craffu ar y cyfreithiau a'r rheoliadau sydd wedi arwain at y penderfyniadau cynllunio a thrwyddedu hyd yn hyn.</p>
<p>Ond i ba raddau y gellir ystyried hyn yn fath o wyddoniaeth dinasyddion? Wedi'r cyfan, mae'r safle yn segur, sy'n golygu na ellir cymryd unrhyw samplau o allyriadau. Ein dadl yw bod y gwaith y maent wedi'i wneud hyd yn hyn yn rhagflaenydd hanfodol i waith casglu data mwy ffurfiol dan arweiniad y gymuned.</p>
<p>Yn achos y BCSG, monitro ansawdd yr aer oedd y pryder mwyaf taer. Am ddwy flynedd, mae'r grŵp wedi mesur ansawdd “sylfaenol” yr aer yn y dref gan ddefnyddio synwyryddion digidol. Pe byddai'r gwaith yn dechrau gweithredu, bydd aelodau’r grŵp yn gallu cymharu unrhyw lygredd y mae'n ei gynhyrchu â’u data cyfredol.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Dyn mewn siaced llachar yn sefyll o flaen cerbyd codi. Mae dyn arall yn sefyll yn y cerbyd codi drws nesaf i bolyn lamp." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Synwyryddion yn cael eu gosod yn y Barri i fesur ansawdd sylfaenol yr aer.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ESRC/Nick Hacking</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Fodd bynnag, y tu hwnt i hynny, mae yna sawl llinyn arall ymhlith gweithgareddau'r grŵp y byddem yn dadlau sy’n cyfrif fel gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion. Mae’r aelodau wedi chwarae rhan mewn sawl agwedd ar graffu gwyddonol, yn union fel pe baent wedi gwneud hynny ar ran y datblygwr neu'r awdurdodau rheoleiddio.</p>
<p>Maent wedi gwerthuso, beirniadu ac ymateb yn ffurfiol i asesiadau risg technegol y datblygwr ac wedi herio penderfyniadau a wnaed gan yr awdurdodau dro ar ôl tro. Mae eu holl weithgareddau wedi cael eu hategu gan wybodaeth am ddatblygiadau diweddar yn y gwyddorau naturiol, gwyddoniaeth reoleiddio, a chyfraith cynllunio a thrwyddedu.</p>
<p>Ers 2008, mae'r BCSG wedi meithrin amrywiaeth aruthrol o arbenigedd technegol, a dylid cydnabod bod hyn yn fater o “roi gwyddoniaeth ar waith”, yng ngwir ystyr y dywediad. Byddai awgrymu fel arall yn cynnig golwg dlawd a chyfyngedig o'r gwaith.</p>
<p>Ein gobaith yw bod yr astudiaeth achos hon yn estyn y drafodaeth am wyddoniaeth dinasyddion fel y gallwn gydnabod ei llawn botensial.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/203730/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mae Nick Hacking yn derbyn cyllid gan y Cyngor Ymchwil Economaidd a Chymdeithasol (ESRC).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mae Jamie Lewis yn derbyn cyllid gan y Cyngor Ymchwil Economaidd a Chymdeithasol (ESRC).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mae Rob Evans yn derbyn cyllid gan y Cyngor Ymchwil Economaidd a Chymdeithasol (ESRC).</span></em></p>Mae gwyddoniaeth dinasyddion yn cynnig y posibilrwydd o wyddoniaeth i'r bobl, gan y bobl.Nick Hacking, Research associate in environmental governance, Cardiff UniversityJamie Lewis, Lecturer in sociology, Cardiff UniversityRob Evans, Professor in science and technology studies, Cardiff UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2065742023-06-04T20:04:48Z2023-06-04T20:04:48ZSocial media snaps map the sweep of Japan’s cherry blossom season in unprecedented detail<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528956/original/file-20230530-19-j7i2pi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C3456%2C3559&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://unsplash.com/photos/-6yI4Z8ehlU">Kazuo Ota / Unsplash</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Social media contains enormous amounts of data about people, our everyday lives, and our interactions with our surroundings. As a byproduct, it also contains a vast trove of information about the natural world.</p>
<p>In a <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0367253023001019#sec0024a">new study published in Flora</a>, we show how social media can be used for “incidental citizen science”. From photos posted to a social site, we mapped countrywide patterns in nature over a decade in relatively fine detail.</p>
<p>Our case study was the annual spread of cherry blossom flowering across Japan, where millions of people view the blooming each year in a cultural event called “hanami”. The flowering spreads across Japan in a wave (“<a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cherry_blossom_front">sakura zensen</a>” or 桜前線) following the warmth of the arriving spring season.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="ALT TEXT" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529000/original/file-20230530-15-mix84k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529000/original/file-20230530-15-mix84k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529000/original/file-20230530-15-mix84k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529000/original/file-20230530-15-mix84k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529000/original/file-20230530-15-mix84k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529000/original/file-20230530-15-mix84k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529000/original/file-20230530-15-mix84k.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Celebrating the cherry blossom is a centuries-old tradition in Japan.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hanami">hanami festival</a> has been documented for centuries, and research shows climate change is making <a href="https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/1748-9326/ac6bb4">early blossoming more likely</a>. The advent of mobile phones – and social network sites that allow people to <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1574954116302321">upload photos tagged with time and location data</a> – presents a new opportunity to study how Japan’s flowering events are affected by seasonal climate. </p>
<h2>Why are flowers useful to understand how nature is being altered by climate change?</h2>
<p>Many flowering plants, including the cherry blossoms of Japan (<em>Prunus</em> subgenus <em>Cerasus</em>), require insect pollination. To reproduce, plant flowers bloom at optimal times to receive visits from insects like bees. </p>
<p>Temperature is <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0200549">an important mechanism</a> for plants to trigger this flowering. <a href="https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1111/j.1461-0248.2008.01269.x">Previous research</a> has highlighted how climate change may create mismatches in space or time between the blooming of plants and the emergence of pollinating insects.</p>
<p><iframe id="rtiQ0" class="tc-infographic-datawrapper" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/rtiQ0/2/" height="400px" width="100%" style="border: none" frameborder="0"></iframe></p>
<p>It has been difficult for researchers to map the extent of this problem in detail, as its study requires simultaneous data collection over large areas. The use of citizen science images deliberately, or incidentally, uploaded to social network sites enables <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_data">big data</a> solutions.</p>
<h2>How did we conduct our study?</h2>
<p>We collected images from Japan uploaded to <a href="https://www.flickr.com/">Flickr</a> between 2008 and 2018 that were tagged by users as “cherry blossoms”. We used computer vision techniques to analyse these images, and to provide sets of keywords describing their image content. </p>
<p>Next, we automatically filtered out images appearing to contain content that the computer vision algorithms determined didn’t match our targeted cherry blossoms. For instance, many contained images of autumn leaves, another popular ecological event to view in Japan. </p>
<p>The locations and timestamps of the remaining cherry blossom images were then used to generate marks on a map of Japan showing the seasonal wave of sakura blossoms, and to estimate peak bloom times each year in different cities.</p>
<h2>Checking the data</h2>
<p>An important component of any scientific investigation is validation – how well does a proposed solution or data set represent the real-world phenomenon under study? </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528702/original/file-20230528-21-4fxpkv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528702/original/file-20230528-21-4fxpkv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528702/original/file-20230528-21-4fxpkv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=591&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528702/original/file-20230528-21-4fxpkv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=591&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528702/original/file-20230528-21-4fxpkv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=591&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528702/original/file-20230528-21-4fxpkv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=743&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528702/original/file-20230528-21-4fxpkv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=743&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528702/original/file-20230528-21-4fxpkv.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=743&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Blossom dates calculated from social media images compare well with official data.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ElQadi et al.</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Our study using social network site images was validated against the detailed information published by the <a href="https://www.japan.travel/en/see-and-do/cherry-blossom-forecast-2023/">Japan National Tourism Organization</a>. </p>
<p>We also manually examined a subset of images to confirm the presence of cherry flowers. </p>
<p>Plum flowers (<em>Prunus mume</em>) look very similar to cherry blossoms, especially to tourists, and they are frequently mistaken and mislabelled as cherry blossoms. We used visible “notches” at the end of cherry petals, and other characteristics, to distinguish cherries from plums.</p>
<p>Taken together, the data let us map the flowering event as it unfolds across Japan. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528769/original/file-20230529-17-wmgf5g.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="An animated map showing cherry blossom flowering across Japan" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528769/original/file-20230529-17-wmgf5g.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528769/original/file-20230529-17-wmgf5g.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=619&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528769/original/file-20230529-17-wmgf5g.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=619&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528769/original/file-20230529-17-wmgf5g.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=619&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528769/original/file-20230529-17-wmgf5g.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=777&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528769/original/file-20230529-17-wmgf5g.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=777&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528769/original/file-20230529-17-wmgf5g.gif?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=777&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Images uploaded to social media over a ten year period 2008-2018, let us map the cherry blossom front as it sweeps across Japan.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ElQadi et al.</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Out-of-season blooms</h2>
<p>Our social network site analysis was sufficiently detailed to accurately pinpoint the annual peak spring bloom in the major cities of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tokyo">Tokyo</a> and <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kyoto">Kyoto</a>, to within a few days of official records. </p>
<p>Our data also revealed the presence of a consistent, and persistent, out-of-season cherry bloom in autumn. Upon further searching, we discovered that this “unexpected” seasonal bloom had also been noted in <a href="https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-45898333">mainstream media</a> in recent years. We thus confirmed that this is a real event, not an artefact of our study.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528832/original/file-20230529-25-wonef0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528832/original/file-20230529-25-wonef0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528832/original/file-20230529-25-wonef0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528832/original/file-20230529-25-wonef0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528832/original/file-20230529-25-wonef0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528832/original/file-20230529-25-wonef0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528832/original/file-20230529-25-wonef0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528832/original/file-20230529-25-wonef0.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Cherry blossom photographs from Flickr taken within Japan from 2008 to 2018 show an April peak as well as an unexpected smaller peak in November.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ElQadi et al.</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>So, even without knowing it, many of us are already helping to understand how climate change influences our environment, simply by posting online photographs we capture. Dedicated sites like <a href="https://wildpollinatorcount.com/">Wild Pollinator Count</a> are excellent resources to contribute to the growing knowledge base. </p>
<p>The complex issues of climate change are still being mapped. Citizen science allows our daily observations to improve our understanding, and so better manage our relationship with the natural world.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/206574/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Adrian Dyer receives funding from The Australian Research Council, and the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation (Germany).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Alan Dorin receives funding and/or support from the Australian Research Council, AgriFutures, Costa Group, Australian Blueberry Growers Association and Sunny Ridge berries.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Carolyn Vlasveld was undertaking a PhD at Monash University while collaborating on the study mentioned in this article. Her PhD was financially supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) Scholarship, a Monash University Graduate Research Completion Award, an Ecological Society of Australia (ESA) Student Scholarship, a Denis and Maisie Carr Award and Travel Grant, and an Australian Society of Plant Scientists RN Robertson Travelling Fellowship.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Moataz ElQadi worked on this project as part of his PhD where he was supported by an Australian Government Research Training Program (RTP) scholarship and a Monash university stipend. Moataz also received an AI for Earth grant from Microsoft.</span></em></p>Publicly available data on social media opens a new avenue for studying the environment with “incidental citizen science”.Adrian Dyer, Associate Professor, Monash UniversityAlan Dorin, Associate Professor, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash UniversityCarolyn Vlasveld, PhD candidate, Monash UniversityMoataz ElQadi, Adjunct Researcher, Faculty of Information Technology, Monash UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1992292023-06-01T12:30:00Z2023-06-01T12:30:00ZInvasive lionfish have spread south from the Caribbean to Brazil, threatening ecosystems and livelihoods<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528927/original/file-20230529-34716-wug34x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=16%2C0%2C3591%2C2396&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">An invasive lionfish at Flower Garden Banks National Marine Sanctuary in the Gulf of Mexico.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://flic.kr/p/23YKdEZ">G. P. Schmahl/NOAA</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Brazil’s coastal waters teem with a rich array of species that paint a living tapestry beneath the waves. This underwater world is particularly special because many of its species are <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/endemic-species">endemic</a> – they are found nowhere else on Earth. The southwestern Atlantic is home to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/ddi.12729">111 endemic reef fish species</a>, each of which plays a crucial role in the intricate web of marine life. </p>
<p>An uninvited guest has arrived in these tropical waters: the <a href="https://invasions.si.edu/nemesis/species_summary/166883">Pacific red lionfish</a> (<em>Pterois volitans</em>). Renowned for its stunning appearance and voracious appetite, the lionfish was first detected off of Florida in 1985 and has spread throughout the Caribbean, <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/ecosystems/impacts-invasive-lionfish">killing reef fish in large numbers</a>. </p>
<p>Now it has breached a formidable obstacle: the Amazon-Orinoco river plume, which flows into the Atlantic from northeastern Brazil. This massive discharge of fresh water has long <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jbi.14398">functioned as a barrier</a> separating Caribbean fish species from those farther south along Brazil’s coastline.</p>
<p>Scientists and environmental managers widely agree that the lionfish invasion in Brazil is a potential ecological disaster. As a <a href="https://scholar.google.com.au/citations?user=_ArEYYMAAAAJ&hl=en">marine ecologist</a>, I believe mitigating the damage will require a comprehensive approach that addresses the ecological, social and economic harms wrought by this predatory fish.</p>
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<figcaption><span class="caption">Lionfish have no known predators and feed on the juveniles of important commercial fish species, such as grouper and snapper.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Tracing the lionfish’s spread</h2>
<p>It’s easy to see why lionfish <a href="https://www.petco.com/content/petco/PetcoStore/en_US/pet-services/resource-center/caresheets/lionfish.html">appeal to aquarium enthusiasts</a>. Native to the warm waters of the Indo-Pacific ocean, they are 12 to 15 inches long, with red and white stripes and long, showy fins. They protect themselves with dorsal spines that deliver painful venomous stings.</p>
<p>Lionfish were first detected in the Atlantic Ocean <a href="https://myfwc.com/wildlifehabitats/profiles/saltwater/lionfish/">in 1985 off Dania Beach, Florida</a>, probably discarded by a tropical fish collector. Since then they have spread throughout the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and northward as far as <a href="https://www.pbsnc.org/blogs/science/rethinking-the-lionfish-invasion-hint-its-still-a-problem/">Bermuda and North Carolina</a> – one of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2013.04.014">most successful marine invasions on record</a>. A close relative, the common lionfish or devil firefish (<em>Pterois miles</em>), has <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/jfb.14340">invaded the Mediterranean Sea</a> and is spreading rapidly there.</p>
<p>Lionfish can be eaten safely if they are properly prepared to remove their venomous spines. In Florida and the Caribbean, <a href="https://myfwc.com/fishing/saltwater/recreational/lionfish/events/">lionfish hunting tournaments</a> have become popular as a control method. However, lionfish <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-016-1358-0">move to deeper waters as they grow</a>, so hunting alone can’t prevent them from spreading. </p>
<p>Marine scientists have anticipated for years that lionfish would someday arrive along the eastern coast of South America. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/nature.2015.17414">A single sighting in 2014</a>, far removed from the Amazon-Orinoco plume, was likely a result of an aquarium release rather than a natural migration. </p>
<p>Then in December 2020, local fishermen caught a pair of lionfish on coral reefs in the <a href="https://flowergarden.noaa.gov/about/mesophotic.html#">mesophotic, or “twilight,” zone</a> several hundred feet <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-021-02575-8">below the mighty Amazon River plume</a>. A scuba diver also encountered a lionfish in the oceanic archipelago of <a href="https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1000/">Fernando de Noronha</a>, 220 miles (350 kilometers) off Brazil’s tropical coast. </p>
<p>New invasion fronts have quickly opened along Brazil’s north and northeast coasts, covering eight states and diverse marine habitats. <a href="https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2022.956848">More than 350 lionfish have been tallied</a> along a 1,720-mile (2,765-kilometer) swath of coastline. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528934/original/file-20230529-15-37nsp4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528934/original/file-20230529-15-37nsp4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/528934/original/file-20230529-15-37nsp4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528934/original/file-20230529-15-37nsp4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528934/original/file-20230529-15-37nsp4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=415&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528934/original/file-20230529-15-37nsp4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528934/original/file-20230529-15-37nsp4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/528934/original/file-20230529-15-37nsp4.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=521&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Map visualizing the spread of lionfish in the Atlantic, with orange dots representing recorded sightings as of 2023 from the ‘Lionfish Monitoring Dashboard,’ a collaborative project spearheaded by researchers at the Federal University of Ceará, Brazil.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://monitoramentos.shinyapps.io/LionfishWatch/">Lionfish Watch</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Aggressive predators without natural enemies</h2>
<p>Like many introduced species, lionfish in the Atlantic don’t face natural population control mechanisms such as predation, disease and parasitism that limit their numbers in the Indo-Pacific. A 2011 study found that lionfish on reefs in the Bahamas were <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-011-0020-0">larger and more abundant</a> than their Pacific counterparts.</p>
<p>Lionfish thrive in many marine habitats, from mangroves and seagrass beds to deepwater reefs and shipwrecks. They are aggressive, persistent hunters that <a href="https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/southeast/ecosystems/impacts-invasive-lionfish">feed on smaller fish</a>, including species that keep coral reefs clean and others that are food for important commercial species like snappers and groupers. In a 2008 study, when lionfish appeared on reefs in the Bahamas, populations of small juvenile reef fish <a href="https://doi.org/10.3354/meps07620">declined by 80% within five weeks</a>.</p>
<p>Brazil’s northeast coast, with its rich artisanal fishing activity, stands on the front line of this invasive threat. Lionfish are present in coastal <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/mangroves.html">mangrove forests</a> and <a href="https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/estuary.html">estuaries</a> – brackish water bodies where rivers meet the sea. These areas serve as nurseries for important commercial fish species. Losing them would increase the risk of hunger in a region that is already grappling with substantial social inequality. </p>
<p>Fishers also face the threat of lionfish stings, which are not lethal to humans but <a href="https://dan.org/alert-diver/article/lionfish-stings/">can cause painful wounds</a> that may require medical treatment.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529112/original/file-20230530-23-r3sjuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Five people on a small boat near shore" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529112/original/file-20230530-23-r3sjuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/529112/original/file-20230530-23-r3sjuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529112/original/file-20230530-23-r3sjuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529112/original/file-20230530-23-r3sjuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529112/original/file-20230530-23-r3sjuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529112/original/file-20230530-23-r3sjuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/529112/original/file-20230530-23-r3sjuy.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fishing is a major income source for Brazilians along the coast, like these in Cabo Frio, and could suffer if lionfish predation reduces catches.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/news-photo/fishing-activity-is-a-major-source-of-income-for-the-news-photo/609864872">Luiz Souza/NurPhoto via Getty Images</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Facing the invasion: Brazil’s challenges</h2>
<p>Biological invasions are easiest to control in early stages, when the invader population is still growing slowly. However, Brazil has been slow to react to the lionfish incursion. </p>
<p>The equatorial southwestern Atlantic, where the invasion is taking place, has been less thoroughly surveyed than the Caribbean. There has been little high-resolution seabed mapping, which would help scientists identifying potential lionfish habitats and anticipate where lionfish might spread next or concentrate their populations. Understanding of the scale of the invasion is largely based on estimates, which likely underrepresent its true extent. </p>
<p>Moreover, turbid waters along much of Brazil’s coast make it hard for scientists to monitor and document the invasion. Despite their distinctive appearance, lionfish are difficult to spot and record in murky water, which makes it challenging for scientists, divers and fishers to keep an accurate record of their spread. </p>
<p>Still another factor is that from 2018 through 2022, under former President Jair Bolsonaro, Brazil’s government <a href="https://doi.org/10.1590/0001-3765202020200700">sharply cut the national science budget</a>, reducing funding for field surveys. The COVID-19 pandemic further reduced field research because of lockdowns and social distancing measures.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1655705639665168385"}"></div></p>
<h2>Making up for lost time</h2>
<p>Brazil has a history of inadequately monitoring for <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1126/science.abb7255">early detection of marine invasions</a>. The lionfish is no exception. Actions thus far have been reactive and often initiated too late to be fully effective. </p>
<p>As one of many Brazilian scientists who <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.3354/meps10383">warned repeatedly</a> about a potential lionfish invasion over the past decade, I’m disheartened that my country missed the window to take early action. Now, however, marine researchers and local communities are stepping up.</p>
<p>Given the length of Brazil’s coast, traditional monitoring methods are often insufficient. So we’ve turned to citizen science and information technology to fill the gaps in our knowledge. </p>
<p>In April 2022, a group of academic researchers spearheaded the launch of an <a href="https://monitoramentos.shinyapps.io/LionfishWatch/">online dashboard</a>, which is updated continuously with data from scientific surveys and local community self-reports. This interactive platform is maintained by a research group led by marine scientists <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HE-s5mUAAAAJ&hl=it">Marcelo Soares</a> and <a href="https://scholar.google.com.br/citations?user=FoB0KPgAAAAJ&hl=pt-BR">Tommaso Giarrizzo</a> from the Federal University of Ceará. </p>
<p>The dashboard allows anyone, from fishers to recreational divers and tourists, to upload data on lionfish observations. This information supports rapid response efforts, strategic planning for preventive measures in areas still free from lionfish, and the development of localized lionfish removal programs.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IWfcuaSA-9w?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Artisanal fishers on Costa Rica’s southern Caribbean coast are working with regulators to curb the spread of invasive lionfish.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>I believe lionfish are here to stay and will integrate over time into Brazil’s marine ecosystems, much as they have in the Caribbean. Given this reality, our most pragmatic and effective strategy is to reduce lionfish populations below levels that cause unacceptable ecological harm.</p>
<p>Regions along the coast that are still lionfish-free might benefit from early and preventive actions. Comprehensive surveillance plans should include environmental education programs about exotic species; early detection approaches, using techniques such as analyzing environmental DNA; citizen science initiatives to monitor and report lionfish sightings, participate in organized culls and help collect research data; and genetic surveys to identify patterns of connectivity among lionfish populations along Brazil’s coast and between Brazilian and Caribbean populations. </p>
<p>Brazil missed its initial opportunity to prevent the lionfish invasion, but I believe that with strategic, swift action and international collaboration, it can mitigate the impacts of this invasive species and safeguard its marine ecosystems. </p>
<p><em>This article has been updated to reflect that the correct number of endemic reef fish species in the southwestern Atlantic is 111.</em></p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/199229/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Osmar J. Luiz does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organization that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>One of the most damaging invasive species in the oceans has breached a major barrier – the Amazon-Orinoco river plume – and is spreading along Brazil’s coast. Scientists are trying to catch up.Osmar J. Luiz, Senior Research Fellow in Aquatic Ecology, Charles Darwin UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2023972023-03-28T12:21:11Z2023-03-28T12:21:11ZIt’s time to rethink what citizen science really is<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517402/original/file-20230324-24-iuklja.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=11%2C11%2C7928%2C5285&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Evaluating what citizen science is involves looking at the concept of science itself. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/new-york-nyapril-22-2017-101year-1711158889">Charles F. Kaye/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p><em>You can also <a href="https://theconversation.com/maen-bryd-i-ni-ailfeddwl-beth-yw-gwyddoniaeth-dinasyddion-203730">read this article</a> in Welsh.</em></p>
<p>Citizen science is a popular method of gathering data for natural and social scientists, with the number of projects and publications produced <a href="https://sciencetechnologystudies.journal.fi/article/view/60425">growing year by year</a>. A typical citizen science project uses volunteers to gather data that would otherwise be unaffordable or inaccessible. </p>
<p>But, based on the evidence we gathered during <a href="https://theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/article/10.5334/cstp.503/">our study</a> of a long-running planning dispute in south Wales, we think it’s time to broaden our understanding of citizen science to include a much wider range of activities. These include studying planning and environmental law, as well as being up to date with the science that influences government decisions.</p>
<h2>What is science?</h2>
<p>Science is an objective, knowledge-producing activity in which rigour leads to the discovery of truths, for those who take a traditional view. In contrast with that, citizen science is often seen <a href="https://academic.oup.com/bioscience/article/59/11/977/251421?login=true">in fairly narrow terms</a>. And while cooperation between amateur and professional scientists is based on shared interests, the project design and data analysis remain in the hands of professional scientists. That means there’s a clear hierarchy. </p>
<p>What we gain as a society from such projects is often benchmarked against whether there’s an improvement in the public’s understanding of the topic. There is, however, no obvious sense that science may learn from or be challenged by citizen scientists.</p>
<p>We work within science and technology studies (STS) which looks at how they were created and developed. We study how science and technology sit within their historical, cultural and social contexts. So, on that basis, we think there is a very different role for citizen science.</p>
<p>STS literature suggests that science is <a href="https://mitpress.mit.edu/9780262035682/the-handbook-of-science-and-technology-studies/">socially constructed</a>. In other words, the ways we see and interpret the world around us depends on the availability of scientific instruments such as microscopes, environmental sensors and so forth. That needs sufficient funding as well as a generally accepted means of analysis. And both of those need agreement and compromise between the priorities and interests of different groups of people. </p>
<p>So if science tends to reproduce the privilege and perspective of elite groups, then citizen science offers the possibility of a <a href="https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203202395/citizen-science-alan-irwin">science for the people, by the people</a>. This would make citizen science an activity in which knowledge is generated from within communities. </p>
<p>It could challenge the type of science used in the decisions that affect our lives and wellbeing, such as determining safe levels of emissions or decisions on infrastructure.</p>
<h2>Barry</h2>
<p>We studied a long-running planning conflict in Barry, near Cardiff, which has been ongoing since 2008. It involves a biomass plant in the centre of the town, which local environmental campaigners argue should be torn down. </p>
<p>The plant, currently owned by Aviva Investors, is <a href="https://www.endswasteandbioenergy.com/article/1814105/avivas-barry-biomass-plant-appeal-heard-may">awaiting a decision</a> from Wales’ planning inspectorate over whether it can start operating. It sits just 100 metres from a brand new housing estate in the town’s docklands area. Some parts of Barry remain high on the <a href="https://statswales.gov.wales/Catalogue/Community-Safety-and-Social-Inclusion/Welsh-Index-of-Multiple-Deprivation">Welsh index of multiple deprivation</a>, the Welsh government’s official measure of poverty. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="An aerial view of a body of water. Behind it is an industrial plant and a large town with many houses and streets." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=450&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517404/original/file-20230324-17-mytbs6.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=566&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">An aerial view of the town of Barry with the non-operational biomass plant in the centre.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Ade Pitman</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We looked at how members of the Barry Citizen Science Group (BCSG) have attempted to <a href="https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-58413660">prevent</a> the biomass plant from operating. They have spent 15 years scrutinising the laws and regulations which have led to planning and licensing decisions so far. </p>
<p>But to what extent can this be seen as a kind of citizen science? After all, the plant is dormant, meaning no emissions samples can be taken. Our argument is that the work they have done up until now is a vital precursor to more formal community-led data gathering work. </p>
<p>In the BCSG’s case, air quality monitoring was the most pressing concern. For two years, the group has measured the “baseline” air quality in the town using digital sensors. Should the plant begin operating, the group will be able to compare any pollution it produces with their own existing data.</p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="A man in a high vis jacket with a clipboard stands in front of a cherry picker. Another man stands in the cab next to a street light." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=402&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/517406/original/file-20230324-16-o624k1.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=505&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sensors being placed in Barry to measure the baseline air quality.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">ESRC/Nick Hacking</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, beyond that, there are several other strands of the group’s activities which, we argue, count as citizen science. They have been involved in many aspects of scientific scrutiny just as though they had been done on behalf of the developer or the regulatory authorities. </p>
<p>They have evaluated, critiqued and formally responded to the developer’s highly technical risk assessments and repeatedly challenged decisions taken by the authorities. All their activities have been underpinned by the knowledge of recent advances in the natural sciences, regulatory science, planning and licensing law. </p>
<p>Since 2008, the BCSG has developed an impressive array of technical expertise, which should be recognised in its truest sense as “doing science”. To suggest otherwise would be to offer an impoverished and restricted view of the work.</p>
<p>Our hope is that this case study extends the discussion of citizen science so that we can recognise its full potential.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/202397/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Nick Hacking receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jamie Lewis receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). </span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Rob Evans receives funding from the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). </span></em></p>Citizen science offers the possibility of a science for the people, by the people. And it could be used to challenge the status quo.Nick Hacking, Research associate in environmental governance, Cardiff UniversityJamie Lewis, Lecturer in sociology, Cardiff UniversityRob Evans, Professor in science and technology studies, Cardiff UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2012352023-03-22T19:42:44Z2023-03-22T19:42:44ZThe Great Southern Reef is in more trouble than the Great Barrier Reef<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516604/original/file-20230321-173-sfwzc9.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C4928%2C3260&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Graham Edgar/Reef Life Survey</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>Marine heatwaves are damaging reef ecosystems around Australia, but while the tropical north has received the lion’s share of the attention to date, we equally need to worry about the temperate south. </p>
<p>That’s partly because the Great Southern Reef is of immense biodiversity value. Species found here are found nowhere else in the world. Even their distant relatives are long gone. It’s also because these temperate reefs are suffering even more from heatwaves than the Great Barrier Reef. </p>
<p>After 30 years counting thousands of marine species on Australian reefs, we could see the situation was changing rapidly. But our research team wasn’t able to survey enough locations to adequately track the changes. These occurred out of sight, beneath the waves, off coastlines extending thousands of kilometres. We realised we needed help. </p>
<p>So we enlisted the help of enthusiastic volunteer divers to complete the world’s first <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05833-y">continental audit of shallow marine life</a>. This unique Australian effort was a tremendous collaborative achievement. But it’s nothing compared to what’s needed in the years to come, to defend our reef ecosystems from the impacts of climate change and other human pressures. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/grq8dfIbm8Q?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Reef Life Survey makes the underwater world visible.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/australias-other-reef-is-worth-more-than-10-billion-a-year-but-have-you-heard-of-it-45600">Australia's 'other' reef is worth more than $10 billion a year - but have you heard of it?</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Answering questions with data</h2>
<p>Our goal was to answer crucial questions from managers, including: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>which marine species are rapidly heading towards extinction? </p></li>
<li><p>how can threats to reef species be addressed cost effectively? </p></li>
<li><p>how large do marine reserves need to be, to achieve conservation goals?</p></li>
<li><p>which regulations work best?</p></li>
</ul>
<p>Our solution was to headhunt the most enthusiastic and experienced recreational divers, then train them to scientific standards in underwater survey methods. </p>
<p>More than 200 highly trained volunteers have now participated in the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320720309137">Reef Life Survey</a> of Australia. Together they have counted more than 3,000 species of fishes, corals and other invertebrates at over 2,500 sites around Australia, including offshore locations not previously visited by divers. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514787/original/file-20230311-3813-mkv1o3.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Volunteer Reef Life Survey diver counting fishes in South Australia" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514787/original/file-20230311-3813-mkv1o3.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514787/original/file-20230311-3813-mkv1o3.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514787/original/file-20230311-3813-mkv1o3.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514787/original/file-20230311-3813-mkv1o3.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=397&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514787/original/file-20230311-3813-mkv1o3.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514787/original/file-20230311-3813-mkv1o3.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514787/original/file-20230311-3813-mkv1o3.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=499&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Reef Life Survey is a non-profit citizen science program in which trained SCUBA divers undertake standardised underwater visual surveys of reef biodiversity on rocky and coral reefs around the world. This photo was taken in South Australia.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Graham Edgar/Reef Life Survey</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>This information, combined with survey data from the Australian Temperate Reef Collaboration (collected using similar methods) and the Australian Institute of Marine Science in Queensland, has allowed us to produce the first continental audit of shallow marine life completed anywhere in the world. Our <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-023-05833-y">new research</a> is published today in the journal Nature. </p>
<p>Our investigation revealed that heatwaves have damaged many (but not all) reef communities over the past decade. The effects have been patchy. Some reef populations have been devastated, other reefs nearby have declined and recovered, and others have flourished. </p>
<p>Species tended to increase numbers in years when water temperatures rose less than 0.5°C above average, but declined rapidly once this heatwave threshold was passed. Overall, more species were declining than increasing.</p>
<p>Coral density has showed little overall change across the Great Barrier Reef since 2010. Many, but not all, coral reef communities impacted by the <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-much-coral-has-died-in-the-great-barrier-reefs-worst-bleaching-event-69494">2016 heatwave</a> have recovered. Coral populations tended to decline in the north, show little change in the central region, and increase in the south. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516882/original/file-20230322-22-bwzxjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A diver surveys life on Elizabeth Reef, off the coast of northern New South Wales." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516882/original/file-20230322-22-bwzxjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516882/original/file-20230322-22-bwzxjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516882/original/file-20230322-22-bwzxjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516882/original/file-20230322-22-bwzxjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=463&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516882/original/file-20230322-22-bwzxjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516882/original/file-20230322-22-bwzxjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516882/original/file-20230322-22-bwzxjx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Although some locations on the Great Barrier Reef had suffered catastrophic coral losses, heatwave impacts were highly patchy, with no consistent trend for population increase or decrease among the 51 tropical coral species investigated. This photo was taken on Elizabeth Reef, a southern coral reef off the coast of northern New South Wales.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://greatsouthernreef.com/nature-paper-march-2023-media">Scott Ling, courtesy Great Southern Reef Foundation 2023</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Around Australia, fishes, mobile invertebrates such as crabs, snails and seastars, and seaweeds showed similar responses to warming. Numbers typically declined in the north of species’ ranges and increased in the south. The increasing abundance of warm water species in the south has, however, squeezed populations of cold water species. </p>
<p>At the limit, southern Tasmanian species trapped by the deep Southern Ocean barrier cannot migrate further south. The common sea dragon (<em>Phyllopteryx taeniolatus</em>), for example, has declined in numbers by 57% over the past decade across monitoring sites.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515098/original/file-20230314-3619-cpaicg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="The common sea dragon (_Phyllopteryx taeniolatus_) at Blackmans Bay" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515098/original/file-20230314-3619-cpaicg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/515098/original/file-20230314-3619-cpaicg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515098/original/file-20230314-3619-cpaicg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515098/original/file-20230314-3619-cpaicg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=399&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515098/original/file-20230314-3619-cpaicg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515098/original/file-20230314-3619-cpaicg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/515098/original/file-20230314-3619-cpaicg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=501&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Numbers of the common sea dragon (<em>Phyllopteryx taeniolatus</em>) have halved across the 43 Great Southern Reef dive sites. This beautiful specimen was spotted at Blackmans Bay.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Graham Edgar/Reef Life Survey</span>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Many species living on Tasmanian reefs, particularly echinoderms such as sea stars and sea urchins, have shown precipitous population declines over the past decade. </p>
<p>A strong <a href="https://theconversation.com/a-marine-heatwave-has-wiped-out-a-swathe-of-was-undersea-kelp-forest-62042">heatwave off southwestern Australia</a> in 2011 also caused seaweed populations to drop rapidly. Most affected seaweeds remain at greatly reduced levels. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/can-seaweed-save-the-world-well-it-can-certainly-help-in-many-ways-201459">Can seaweed save the world? Well it can certainly help in many ways</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Overall, cool-temperate species inhabiting the Great Southern Reef - the interconnected network of kelp-covered rocky reefs that extends from northern New South Wales to southwestern Australia — are generally declining in number more rapidly and are more threatened with extinction, than tropical species. </p>
<p>This is perhaps not surprising given that Great Southern Reef species live in a climate change hotspot (where sea temperatures are rising more rapidly than elsewhere worldwide) along the most densely populated Australian coast. Impacts from infrastructure development, catchment degradation, pollution and fishing are widespread.</p>
<h2>Why the southern reef is so great</h2>
<p>Australia’s southern reefs - in temperate waters between the tropical north and the Southern Ocean - are hotspots of biodiversity. Most species are found nowhere else in the world (70% of the temperate species surveyed were endemic to Australia). In contrast, almost all of the tropical species censused in our study are widely distributed across the Indo-Pacific (only 3% endemic to Australia).</p>
<p>Furthermore, temperate Australian species often have no close relatives. Their evolutionary roots run deep. Examples include the red velvet fish (<em>Gnathanacanthus goetzii</em>) and the giant creeper snail (<em>Campanile symbolicum</em>). Both species sit alone in their families, and were found in our census to have rapidly declining populations.</p>
<p>Worldwide, the most threatened fish family is the <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0006320720308892">handfishes</a>. This is a group of 14 species restricted to southeastern Australia, primarily Tasmania. The critically endangered red handfish (<em>Thymichthys politus</em>) and spotted handfish (<em>Brachionichthys hirsutus</em>) have declined to tiny populations of around 100 (red) and 5000 (spotted) individuals living in shallow bays near Hobart. The smooth handfish (<em>Sympterichthys unipennis</em>) is probably already extinct.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516884/original/file-20230322-26-8mp2nb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two divers explore the deep reef off Bicheno in the Freycinet Commonwealth Marine Reserve" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516884/original/file-20230322-26-8mp2nb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/516884/original/file-20230322-26-8mp2nb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=421&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516884/original/file-20230322-26-8mp2nb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=421&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516884/original/file-20230322-26-8mp2nb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=421&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516884/original/file-20230322-26-8mp2nb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516884/original/file-20230322-26-8mp2nb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/516884/original/file-20230322-26-8mp2nb.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=530&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Abundant sponge gardens, impressive kelp beds, prolific fish life and caves packed with delicate invertebrates make Bicheno an ideal destination for SCUBA divers, snorkelers and underwater photographers.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://greatsouthernreef.com/nature-paper-march-2023-media">Scott Ling, courtesy Great Southern Reef Foundation 2023</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>What we stand to lose</h2>
<p>The loss of most Australian marine species will likely occur unseen. Government funding does not generally support systematic monitoring of native plants and animals. </p>
<p>Data provided by volunteer Reef Life Survey divers has provided the only population trend information for over 1,000 species, while tens of thousands of species lack any information at all. Only the Great Barrier Reef Long Term Monitoring Program run by the Australian Institute of Marine Science receives dedicated funding covering marine habitats. </p>
<p>Until more attention is paid to the conservation of temperate marine species, the living heritage of future generations will continue to slip away. We will also remain in the dark as to what already has been lost. The little public, scientific or management attention paid to the Great Southern Reef belies its status as a global marvel, and one that is highly threatened.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/playing-sea-soundscapes-can-summon-thousands-of-baby-oysters-and-help-regrow-oyster-reefs-188006">Playing sea soundscapes can summon thousands of baby oysters – and help regrow oyster reefs</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/201235/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Graham Edgar is a Board Member of Reef Life Survey Foundation.
Field surveys that provide the basis for this study have been supported by the Reef Life Survey Foundation; Australian Research Council; the Australian Institute of Marine Science; the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies; Parks Australia; Department of Natural Resources and Environment Tasmania; New South Wales Department of Primary Industries; Parks Victoria; South Australia Department of Environment, Water and Natural Resources; Western Australia Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions; The Ian Potter Foundation; Minderoo Foundation; Holsworth Wildlife Research Endowment; and the CERF, NERP and NESP Marine Biodiversity Hubs.
Data management is supported by Australia’s Integrated Marine Observing System.</span></em></p>The first comprehensive audit of marine life around Australia, deploying an army of volunteer research divers alongside scientists, has revealed southern reefs are suffering the most.Graham Edgar, Senior Marine Ecologist, Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies, University of TasmaniaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1956972023-03-17T12:30:17Z2023-03-17T12:30:17ZThose seeds clinging to your hiking socks may be from invasive plants – here’s how to avoid spreading them to new locations<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514780/original/file-20230311-3629-ak0c82.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C3%2C2048%2C1529&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">These stowaways can do a lot of damage.</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://flic.kr/p/8sGFmW">Brett L./ Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>With spring settling in across the U.S. and days lengthening, many people are ready to spend more time outside. But after a walk outdoors, have you ever found seeds clinging to your clothes? Lodged in your socks and shoelaces? Perhaps tangled in your pet’s fur? While most of us don’t give these hitchhikers much thought, seeds and burrs may be the first signs of invasive plant spread. </p>
<p>Certain species of non-native invasive plants produce seeds designed to attach to unsuspecting animals or people. Once affixed, these sticky seeds can be carried long distances before they fall off in new environments. With favorable conditions, they can become established quickly and outcompete native plants.</p>
<p>Outdoor recreation has <a href="https://outdoorindustry.org/resource/2022-outdoor-participation-trends-report/#">expanded at a record pace</a> across the U.S. in recent years. Overcrowding in outdoor spaces <a href="https://thetrek.co/examining-impact-overcrowding-hiking-trails/">has many harmful effects</a>, from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/S0169-2046(02)00202-5">degrading trails</a> to accelerating the introduction and spread of invasive plants. </p>
<p>As a <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=nmAblPEAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">recreation ecologist</a> and an avid hiker, I study how people inadvertently spread invasive plants along trails. There are simple things that everyone can do before, during and after going outdoors to avoid picking up plant hitchhikers and help maintain trail systems for others to enjoy. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/ceLf4Re1eW4?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Like many states, Iowa is battling dozens of invasive plants.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Hardy, numerous and adaptable</h2>
<p>Invasive plants are non-native species that can harm <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolind.2019.106020">the environment, human health and the economy</a> when they are introduced into new areas. However, not all non-native plants are invasive. </p>
<p>Plants with invasive capabilities tend to grow quickly, adapt easily to many different environmental conditions, produce seeds in vast quantities and successfully disperse and germinate them. These characteristics enable the plants to spread efficiently to different areas. Many vectors <a href="https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.24.20607">help invasive plants disperse</a>, including birds, animals, wind, water and humans, via clothing, shoes, pets, gear and vehicles.</p>
<p>Invasive plant seeds tend to be small in size, high in number and hardy. They can persist in soil for many years, remaining viable and ready to germinate when conditions are right.</p>
<p>These seeds will usually germinate earlier in spring than those of native plants and keep their leaves until late fall, crowding out and outcompeting native varieties. Each species produces seeds on a particular schedule – annual, biennial or perennial – and at a specific time. For example, invasive biennial <a href="https://doi.org/10.1890/08-0845.1">garlic mustard</a> releases seeds every two years in late spring. </p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1526563199494987776"}"></div></p>
<h2>No cheap solutions</h2>
<p>Invasive plants have many harmful ecological impacts. One of the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/07352680490505150">most familiar U.S. examples is kudzu</a>, a climbing vine that has smothered trees across the Southeast. </p>
<p>Kudzu grows prolifically, outcompeting native vegetation. It also <a href="https://doi.org/10.1890/ES13-00142.1">alters the nitrogen cycle</a> by increasing soil nitrogen levels and releasing nitric oxide, a gas that reduces air quality and promotes ground-level ozone pollution.</p>
<p>In the western U.S., carpets of <a href="https://theconversation.com/invasive-grasses-are-fueling-wildfires-across-the-us-126574">invasive grasses</a>, such as <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s10530-017-1641-8">cheatgrass</a> and <a href="https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/terrestrial/plants/medusahead">medusahead</a>, create highly flammable fine fuels. Their presence makes wildfires more frequent and intense. </p>
<p>Some invasive plants directly threaten human health. <a href="https://www.invasivespeciescentre.ca/invasive-species/meet-the-species/invasive-plants/giant-hogweed/">Giant hogweed</a> is an herb in the carrot family that can grow 15 to 20 feet tall. Its poisonous sap can cause <a href="https://www.fws.gov/story/dont-touch-these-plants">severe skin burns</a>. Others, such as poison hemlock and water hemlock, are highly toxic to humans and animals if consumed.</p>
<p>Managing invasive plants, animals and insects is a growing problem, with costs that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/s41586-021-03405-6">run into billions of dollars annually</a>. A 2022 study estimated the annual cost of managing biological invasions in the U.S. at <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2021.151318">about US$21 billion</a> as of 2020.</p>
<p>Invasives are especially threatening for remote, biodiversity-rich places like <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/17550874.2022.2144777">Antarctica</a>, where remoteness and geographic isolation <a href="https://www.pnas.org/doi/10.1073/pnas.1804179115">promote endemic species</a> – those only found in a particular geographic region. These endemics evolve in the absence of natural competitors and predators, so introducing invasives can have catastrophic consequences. </p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514784/original/file-20230311-3915-eiamcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A hiker's feet, with muddy gaiters zipped over shoes." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514784/original/file-20230311-3915-eiamcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514784/original/file-20230311-3915-eiamcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514784/original/file-20230311-3915-eiamcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514784/original/file-20230311-3915-eiamcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=467&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514784/original/file-20230311-3915-eiamcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=587&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514784/original/file-20230311-3915-eiamcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=587&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514784/original/file-20230311-3915-eiamcv.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=587&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Fastening gaiters over hiking shoes is an effective way to keep invasive seeds from attaching.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Megan Dolman</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Recreational trails act as corridors</h2>
<p>Many invasive plants thrive on disturbed soil. Decades of research has shown that recreational trails promote the introduction of invasive plant species into natural and protected areas, including <a href="https://doi.org/10.1002/eap.2239">national parks</a> and national scenic trails like the <a href="https://www.nps.gov/appa/index.htm">Appalachian Trail</a>.</p>
<p>The Appalachian Trail is the longest hiking-only footpath in the world, extending almost 2,200 miles from Georgia to Maine. <a href="https://appalachiantrail.org/our-work/about-us/media-room/">More than 3 million visitors</a> hike on some portion of it every year. Invasive plants <a href="https://appalachiantrail.org/official-blog/five-common-invasive-species-along-at/">commonly found along the trail</a> include garlic mustard, multiflora rose and purple loosestrife. </p>
<p>In a recent study, I worked with the U.S. Geological Survey to investigate Appalachian Trail hikers’ <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jort.2022.100581">invasive plant knowledge, perceptions, and behaviors</a>. We found that most hikers were unaware of this issue. As a result, few took precautions to avoid contributing to it.</p>
<p>Here are things that concerned hikers can do to help manage invasive plants:</p>
<p>– <a href="https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/species-type">Identify</a> and <a href="https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/subject/reporting">report</a> sightings of invasive plants. The more land managers know about where these species are present, the more effectively they can monitor and manage their spread. </p>
<p>– <a href="https://www.invasivespeciesinfo.gov/type/smartphone-applications">Smartphone apps</a>, like Early Detection & Distribution Mapping System <a href="https://www.eddmaps.org/">EDDMapS</a>, <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/">iNaturalist</a> and <a href="https://wildspotter.org/">Wild Spotter</a>, make this task easier. Or you can <a href="https://www.invasive.org/report.cfm">search and report by state</a>. Simply take a picture and identify and report when and where you see invasives. </p>
<p>– Arrive with clean gear. Cleaning shoes, clothing and equipment before and after going outdoors is one of the most effective ways to minimize invasive plant introduction and spread. The <a href="https://naisma.org/">North American Invasive Species Management Association</a>’s <a href="https://playcleango.org/">PlayCleanGo</a> campaign has installed <a href="https://playcleango.org/2021/08/12/boot-brush-stations-are-they-effective/">boot brush stations at trailheads</a> to remove <a href="https://doi.org/10.1080/14486563.2020.1838352">seeds lodged in boot treads</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514782/original/file-20230311-3415-t58ci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A sign above a metal brush directs hikers to clean their boots." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514782/original/file-20230311-3415-t58ci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/514782/original/file-20230311-3415-t58ci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514782/original/file-20230311-3415-t58ci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514782/original/file-20230311-3415-t58ci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=800&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514782/original/file-20230311-3415-t58ci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514782/original/file-20230311-3415-t58ci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/514782/original/file-20230311-3415-t58ci.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1005&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A boot cleaning station at a Hawaii trailhead.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Megan Dolman</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>– Choose clothing and shoes carefully. Certain surfaces, such as uncovered socks, shoelaces, fleece and Velcro, are <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvman.2009.08.002">more seed-friendly</a> than smoother materials such as nylon. Wearing pants that are uncuffed and pocketless to minimize snag points and fastening gaiters over shoes are easy ways to repel plant hitchhikers. Gaiters will also keep pebbles and mud out of your boots.</p>
<p>– Follow the <a href="https://lnt.org/why/7-principles/">Leave No Trace principles</a>, which outline minimum-impact strategies for visiting the outdoors. For example, stick to marked formal trails to avoid dispersing invasive plants off-trail. Camp on designated or well-established campsites, and don’t transport firewood between sites – use certified or local firewood and hay. Clean your pets and vehicles as well as your clothes before and after hitting the trail. </p>
<p>People who want to do more to protect the outdoors can take a <a href="https://lnt.org/courses/online_awareness_take_action_html5/#/">free Leave No Trace online course</a> and take the <a href="https://playcleango.org/take-action/take-pledge/">PlayCleanGo Pledge</a> to make a difference with their actions.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195697/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Megan Dolman has received travel funding from the School of Geography and the Environment and Brasenose College, University of Oxford. </span></em></p>Invasive species cause billions of dollars in damage across the US every year. Hikers and backpackers can take simple steps to avoid spreading seeds and making the problem worse.Megan Dolman, PhD candidate in Ecology, Evolution and Behavior, Boise State UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1991002023-03-13T23:49:29Z2023-03-13T23:49:29ZThousands of our native plants have no public photographs available. Here’s why that matters<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509089/original/file-20230209-22-lvbliw.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=23%2C23%2C3970%2C2970&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">The first online photograph of Wurmbea dilatata, a small perennial herb found along the west coast of Western Australia</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/132521908">Thomas Mesaglio</a>, <span class="license">Author provided</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>For hundreds of years, botanists have collected plants to describe species and keep in herbaria across the world. But while physical plant specimens are <a href="https://bsapubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.3732/apps.1300076">irreplaceable</a>, photographs of plants are also an invaluable resource for botanical research, conservation and education. </p>
<p>Photographs of plants capture information that can be lost from dead, dried plants, such as flower colour. They also provide ecological context and form the cornerstone of many field guides and education resources.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509096/original/file-20230209-18-lvbliw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Man photographing plants in forest" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509096/original/file-20230209-18-lvbliw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509096/original/file-20230209-18-lvbliw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509096/original/file-20230209-18-lvbliw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509096/original/file-20230209-18-lvbliw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=338&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509096/original/file-20230209-18-lvbliw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509096/original/file-20230209-18-lvbliw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509096/original/file-20230209-18-lvbliw.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Photographs are valuable for providing extra information, such as habitat and other species growing nearby.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Peter Crowcroft</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>All plant species known to science have samples preserved in at least one herbarium. Under the <a href="https://www.iapt-taxon.org/nomen/main.php">scientific rules for naming species</a>, a species is not recognised unless there is at least one specimen officially stored in a collection somewhere in the world. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, and perhaps surprisingly, many plants have never been photographed in the field. <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41477-021-00974-2">Just 53%</a> of the 125,000 known plant species in the Americas have field photographs in major online databases. </p>
<p>Given almost 40% of the world’s <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/news/2020/september/two-in-five-plants-are-threatened-with-extinction.html">plant species</a> are threatened with extinction, there’s a strong impetus to photograph as many of these as possible before they disappear forever. Without photographs of these species in the field, many could go extinct without us even realising. </p>
<h2>How does Australia compare?</h2>
<p>We were interested in how the Australian flora stacks up, so in our research, <a href="https://nph.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/nph.18813">published today</a>, we surveyed 33 major online databases. Most of these were resources created and maintained by professional botanists, such as New South Wales’ state herbarium portal <a href="https://plantnet.rbgsyd.nsw.gov.au">PlantNET</a>, but we also included some citizen science platforms such as <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org">iNaturalist</a>.</p>
<p>Out of roughly 21,000 native Australian vascular plant species, a surprisingly large 3,715 (or 18%) did not have a single field photograph we could track down across our surveyed databases. </p>
<p>While most species across the southeastern states are well-photographed, Western Australia is the great frontier for unphotographed plants: 52% of all unphotographed species can be found in WA. The most incomplete plant family was Poaceae, the grasses, with 343 unphotographed species. </p>
<p>We identified three major “hotspots” for unphotographed Australian plants: </p>
<ul>
<li><p>northern Australia, from the Kimberley to Arnhem Land</p></li>
<li><p>Queensland’s Wet Tropics World Heritage Area</p></li>
<li><p>the Stirling Range and Fitzgerald River National Park in southwestern WA. </p></li>
</ul>
<p>All three regions are characterised by remote environments that are often difficult to access.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509099/original/file-20230209-18-niz4to.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Mountain range in southern Western Australia" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509099/original/file-20230209-18-niz4to.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509099/original/file-20230209-18-niz4to.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=212&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509099/original/file-20230209-18-niz4to.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=212&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509099/original/file-20230209-18-niz4to.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=212&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509099/original/file-20230209-18-niz4to.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509099/original/file-20230209-18-niz4to.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509099/original/file-20230209-18-niz4to.JPG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Western Australia’s Stirling Range, one of the major hotspots in Australia for unphotographed plant species.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Thomas Mesaglio</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Just as <a href="https://theconversation.com/conservation-shouldnt-be-a-popularity-contest-3529">some animals</a> receive less research and conservation attention than others because they aren’t as charismatic, there is also a similar <a href="https://www.smh.com.au/environment/conservation/pretty-please-how-a-bias-against-ugly-plants-could-spell-their-doom-20210511-p57qrl.html">charisma deficit</a> for some types of plants. Many groups of Australian shrubs or trees with spectacular floral displays have comprehensive, or even complete, photographic records. For example, all 176 of Australia’s <em>Banksia</em> species have been photographed.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509101/original/file-20230209-28-ftdlxs.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Large Banksia inflorescence" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509101/original/file-20230209-28-ftdlxs.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509101/original/file-20230209-28-ftdlxs.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509101/original/file-20230209-28-ftdlxs.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509101/original/file-20230209-28-ftdlxs.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509101/original/file-20230209-28-ftdlxs.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509101/original/file-20230209-28-ftdlxs.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509101/original/file-20230209-28-ftdlxs.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The charismatic and well-photographed <em>Banksia robur</em> from NSW and Queensland.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Greg Tasney</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Conversely, small herbs, plants with tiny or dull flowers, or groups such as grasses or sedges tend to miss out on being photographed – some of them for a very long time indeed. <em>Schoenus lanatus</em>, for example, is a small sedge that grows across a vast stretch of coastal WA, from Perth all the way to the South Australian border. It was described in 1805 yet, more than two centuries later, it is still unphotographed in the field!</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/conservation-shouldnt-be-a-popularity-contest-3529">Conservation shouldn't be a popularity contest</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<p>Although botanists and taxonomists take many photographs of plants, citizen scientists also have a crucial role to play in the documentation of our native flora, with organisations such as <a href="http://desertdiscoveryinc.com.au">Desert Discovery</a> at the forefront. During last year’s expedition to <a href="https://exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/site/yeo-lake-homestead">Yeo Lake Nature Reserve</a> at the remote western edge of the Great Victoria Desert, the Desert Discovery team photographed hundreds of native plants, including five species on our unphotographed list. </p>
<p>One example is the daisy bush <em>Olearia eremaea</em>, which is only found in WA’s arid interior. First <a href="https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/item/233144#page/31/mode/1up">described in 1990</a> and illustrated with black-and-white line drawings, it was not until more than 30 years later that this species was first photographed, at <a href="https://exploreparks.dbca.wa.gov.au/site/yeo-lake-homestead">Yeo Lake</a>, a remote nature reserve roughly 200km northeast of Laverton.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509103/original/file-20230209-20-jazuwu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Flowering daisy bush from the desert" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509103/original/file-20230209-20-jazuwu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509103/original/file-20230209-20-jazuwu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=225&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509103/original/file-20230209-20-jazuwu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=225&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509103/original/file-20230209-20-jazuwu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=225&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509103/original/file-20230209-20-jazuwu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509103/original/file-20230209-20-jazuwu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509103/original/file-20230209-20-jazuwu.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=283&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The first identified field photographs of <em>Olearia eremaea</em>, taken during the Desert Discovery expedition to Yeo Lake, Western Australia in 2022.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Thomas Mesaglio</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Of course, some of the species on our unphotographed list have in fact been photographed, but the images are not available in any of the 33 major databases we surveyed. These photographs may be slides in someone’s desk drawer or hard drive somewhere, appear in possibly out-of-print field guides and books, be behind paywalls in the scientific literature, or are not currently identified due to a lack of other comparison photos. This lack of discoverability is a problem, because these photos are very unlikely to be found by someone in the field trying to identify the species.</p>
<p>We have produced a <a href="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1msDm3PK5ALVr526LXY8ss27n4-8by4-rQIZhOsdZIv4/edit?usp=sharing">searchable list</a> of Australian native plants lacking photographs. We hope this work stimulates both professional and citizen scientists to track down these species and add photographs to public, discoverable repositories such as <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/">iNaturalist</a>. </p>
<p>But be warned: these aren’t easy treasure hunts. These species are a mix of very remote and often overlooked species – they are typically not famous or eyecatching. Finding them will take determination, botanical know-how, and a sturdy off-road vehicle. </p>
<p>But the pay-off would be well worth it – successful pictures would make their way into identification guides, allowing both citizen and professional scientists to identify, monitor and conserve these species into the future.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/the-50-beautiful-australian-plants-at-greatest-risk-of-extinction-and-how-to-save-them-160362">The 50 beautiful Australian plants at greatest risk of extinction — and how to save them</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/199100/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>The authors do not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and have disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Almost 4,000 Australian plant species have never been photographed in the field, particularly in remote corners of the country. Without a proper record, they could die out without us even knowing.Thomas Mesaglio, PhD candidate, UNSW SydneyHervé Sauquet, Senior Research Scientist, Royal Botanic Gardens Sydney and Adjunct Associate Professor, UNSW SydneyWill Cornwell, Associate Professor in Ecology and Evolution, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1980482023-03-06T06:10:00Z2023-03-06T06:10:00ZChildren and teenagers can carry out valuable wildlife research – here’s how<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/512929/original/file-20230301-22-81wblh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C0%2C5348%2C3568&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/little-girls-looking-insects-green-grass-1136828306">Galina Kovalenko/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>The environment is in crisis. Young people are <a href="https://www.unicef.org/stories/young-climate-activists-demand-action-inspire-hope">calling for environmental action</a> and <a href="https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000383615">requesting more education</a> about the environment and the climate emergency. They are also looking at what they can do to tackle climate change. </p>
<p>Together with colleagues, I have found that children can make <a href="http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.3390/d13070318">a valuable contribution</a> to research about the environment through citizen science projects – where members of the public help scientists with research.</p>
<p>In <a href="https://education.ucdavis.edu/ccs-learn-citsci">one project</a>, we looked at young people’s involvement with iNaturalist, a popular nature app. The young participants, aged between five and 19, used the app independently or during and after attending events organised by the Natural History Museum of London, the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County and the California Academy of Sciences in San Francisco.</p>
<p>The app lets people upload photos of organisms and add information, such as location, date and time. If this information is added, then the photo is considered “verifiable”. </p>
<p>The verifiable photos that are considered of good quality (as agreed by the iNaturalist community) are labelled as “research grade”. The research-grade contributions are shared with the Global Biodiversity Information Facility, which allows open access to data about all types of life on Earth. This data is frequently used by biodiversity researchers. </p>
<h2>Making a contribution</h2>
<p>We found that the young people using the app contributed to quality wildlife monitoring <a href="http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.3390/d13070318">at the same rate as adults</a>, with the support of iNaturalist’s online community. Their observations were of research grade and therefore potentially valuable for wildlife research.</p>
<p><div data-react-class="Tweet" data-react-props="{"tweetId":"1225266766059732994"}"></div></p>
<p>What’s more, wildlife can benefit from young volunteers’ contributions. We found that young people tend to <a href="http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0245682">observe and identify</a> different species than adults. These tend to be smaller species, such as insects, mushrooms and spiders. Although this may be because of young people’s personal preferences, it may also depend on their different skills, opportunities and available instruments – for example, whether they have high-resolution cameras.</p>
<p>Although people usually take part in citizen science projects because of their broad environmental concerns and <a href="https://theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/articles/10.5334/cstp.370/">concerns for others</a>, <a href="https://theoryandpractice.citizenscienceassociation.org/articles/10.5334/cstp.224/">they also develop</a> scientific knowledge and skills, such as about the scientific process, and topic-specific knowledge – for example, learning about and collecting data on endangered species – as a result. </p>
<p>We contacted teachers who engage their pupils in <a href="http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1007/s10763-022-10340-z">citizen science projects</a>. We wanted to understand whether citizen science can also help young people engage in environmental science issues. Teachers confirmed the learning benefits for young people, adding that young people also maintain an ongoing engagement with science once they are involved. A secondary school science teacher said: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>I think it is just a different way to do science, to help the students to be more engaged in science. Talk to them about real problems they can see in their everyday life, so it is not about the idea, it is just really a different way to teach science in the classroom.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>Another science teacher pointed out the ownership that the young people had over their scientific learning through citizen science: </p>
<blockquote>
<p>And then they’ll [the students] be the ones who archive that, they’ll be the ones that then decide amongst each other which ones to look at in detail and try and work out the sequencing relationship between those samples… so it’s all about them making the decisions amongst themselves in that larger [scientific] collaboration.</p>
</blockquote>
<h2>Learning by doing</h2>
<p><a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360131522000860">Other research</a> I carried out with colleagues confirmed these findings. This study looked at young people’s participation in Zooniverse, a citizen science website.</p>
<p>The website invites volunteers to participate in scientific projects by completing tasks. These may include classifying pictures of animals, transcribing historical wildlife data or annotating animals in camera trap images.</p>
<p>The young scientists reported that they had gained environmental science learning, such as understanding more about their local wildlife population numbers. They felt they were experts, and were recognised as experts by others. They went on to use their science knowledge elsewhere: writing a blog to share their knowledge or going on to study life sciences at university. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Young woman in nature" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/512944/original/file-20230301-15-lt5v36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/512944/original/file-20230301-15-lt5v36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512944/original/file-20230301-15-lt5v36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512944/original/file-20230301-15-lt5v36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512944/original/file-20230301-15-lt5v36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512944/original/file-20230301-15-lt5v36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/512944/original/file-20230301-15-lt5v36.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Young people who get involved in biodiversity projects may go on to use this knowledge elsewhere, such as at university.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/people-race-ethnicity-portrait-concept-happy-298062743">Ground Picture/Shutterstock</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>However, young people who had an existing interest and experience with science activities were more likely to learn about the environment on Zooniverse. Also, young participants who took part in reflection and discussion activities were more likely to show higher levels of environmental learning compared with those who just completed the tasks.</p>
<p>Teachers said that they could better help young people successfully participate in environmental research if they have <a href="http://dx.doi.org/doi:10.1007/s10763-022-10340-z">access to the right resources</a>. </p>
<p>This includes guidelines and support on how to implement citizen science activities in their classrooms. This support can be in the form of professional development programmes, or tools, such as the nQuire platform, which guides and enables participation in different stages of scientific research.</p>
<p>Young people can help to advance wildlife research and in doing so, help the environment. But to do so, they need to be empowered with the proper knowledge and skills through well-designed educational programmes, and receive the right support from the research community.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/198048/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Maria Aristeidou does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Children and teenagers can add to our knowledge of the natural world through citizen science projects.Maria Aristeidou, Lecturer in Technology Enhanced Learning, The Open UniversityLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/2005542023-03-02T14:25:20Z2023-03-02T14:25:20ZRoads and power lines put primates in danger: South African data adds to the real picture<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511943/original/file-20230223-703-kx83eg.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=11%2C17%2C3982%2C2886&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">Samango monkey choosing to use a pole bridge instead of a ladder bridge.</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Birthe Linden</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>About 25 million kilometres of new roads are expected to be built around the world by <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13717">2050</a>. Along with power lines and railways, roads cut through the landscape everywhere, disrupting ecosystems. This linear infrastructure prevents animals from moving safely around their habitat. It also reduces access to the resources they need, like food, sufficient space and mating partners. </p>
<p>This threat to biodiversity is a conservation issue globally, but especially in developing nations, where <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/nature13717">90%</a> of new road construction is expected. </p>
<p>The African continent is home to unique biodiversity and extraordinary landscapes. Planned <a href="https://au.int/en/videos/20190101/agenda2063-infrastructure-and-energy-initiatives">infrastructure developments</a> will certainly <a href="https://theconversation.com/kenyas-huge-railway-project-is-causing-environmental-damage-heres-how-159813">threaten</a> some of the last, unspoilt wildernesses on the continent.</p>
<p>We’re particularly concerned about the future of primates. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) lists <a href="http://www.primate-sg.org/primate_diversity_by_region/">half of the continent’s 107 primate species as threatened</a>.</p>
<p>According to the <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/search?query=Primates&searchType=species">IUCN</a> 18% of the world’s primates are directly affected by roads and railroads and 3% by utility and service infrastructure. These figures are based on limited research, though. The true impact is likely to be higher.</p>
<p>South Africa’s case shows why. None of the South African primate species currently have linear infrastructure listed as a threat under the IUCN. But this doesn’t mean they are not negatively affected. It just means that the lists need to be better informed.</p>
<p>South Africa is the only African country that has long-term, country-wide mortality datasets for both <a href="https://ewt.org.za/what-we-do/saving-species/wildlife-and-transport/">wildlife roadkill</a> and <a href="https://ewt.org.za/what-we-do/saving-species/wildlife-and-energy/">wildlife electrocution</a>. It’s collected by patrol staff, scientists and the general public (<a href="https://theconversation.com/tracking-science-a-way-to-include-more-people-in-producing-knowledge-159587">citizen scientists</a>). </p>
<p>Using this data, <a href="https://brill.com/view/journals/ijfp/93/3-6/article-p235_4.xml">we investigated</a> how roads and power lines affect South Africa’s five primate species: the chacma baboon (<em>Papio ursinus</em>), the vervet monkey (<em>Chlorocebus pygerythrus</em>), the samango monkey (<em>Cercopithecus mitis</em>), the lesser bushbaby (<em>Galago moholi</em>) and the greater or thick tailed bushbaby (<em>Otolemur crassicaudatus</em>).</p>
<p>All species were affected, mostly by roads. We found a total of 483 deaths captured in the databases between 1996 and 2021. The number of deaths is likely to be a lot higher, due to under-reporting. Targeted species- and area-specific surveys are needed to refine this dataset. </p>
<p>The more mortality data is available, the better we will understand impacts, know where to focus interventions and inform future infrastructure developments to lessen the human impact on biodiversity.</p>
<p>We recommend that infrastructure like roads and power lines be more prominently recognised as a direct threat when developing Red List assessments.</p>
<h2>Primate deaths</h2>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511944/original/file-20230223-24-c9wbuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Furry black body of monkey on the verge with trees on either side of the road" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511944/original/file-20230223-24-c9wbuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511944/original/file-20230223-24-c9wbuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=344&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511944/original/file-20230223-24-c9wbuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=344&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511944/original/file-20230223-24-c9wbuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=344&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511944/original/file-20230223-24-c9wbuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511944/original/file-20230223-24-c9wbuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511944/original/file-20230223-24-c9wbuu.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=433&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Samango monkey lying dead at the side of a road.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Birthe Linden</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Most of the electrocution data used in our study was accessed from the <a href="https://www.eskom.co.za/">Eskom</a> Central Incident Register.</p>
<p>Roadkill data for our study was available from two sources: the national database from the Endangered Wildlife Trust’s Wildlife and Transport Programme and our own observations. </p>
<p>Since 2011, the Endangered Wildlife Trust has received records from systematic patrols on certain highways and species -and area-specific expert research surveys. Citizen science data comes from all over the country including national and regional roads, with differing speed limits, widths and vehicle usage.</p>
<p>The area surveyed by systematic patrols amounts to 1,370 km, covering 0.2% of the country’s entire road network and 0.9% of the paved road network.</p>
<p>The highest number of deaths recorded was for vervet monkeys. This was to be expected as vervet monkeys have a much wider geographic range in South Africa than both bushbaby species and the samango monkey, so they have a greater chance of encountering roads and power lines. The greater (or thick tailed) bushbaby and the samango monkey are forest associated and forests cover only about 0.1% of South Africa’s land surface area.</p>
<p>Although the total of 483 primate deaths over 25 years may not appear very high, we can assume that many remain undetected. For example scavengers might remove the dead animals, or they could be hidden by dense vegetation on road verges. They could be in remote places, in the case of power lines, or severely injured animals might die later, a distance away from the road. For roads, the actual mortality rate could be <a href="https://we.copernicus.org/articles/3/33/2002/we-3-33-2002.html">12–16 times higher</a> than the detection rate.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/statistical-ecology-can-unlock-the-power-of-biodiversity-data-in-africa-171513">Statistical ecology can unlock the power of biodiversity data in Africa</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>Solutions</h2>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511945/original/file-20230223-703-ly4rn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Person facing away from the camera looks at a monkey walking along a pole in the tree canopy." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511945/original/file-20230223-703-ly4rn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/511945/original/file-20230223-703-ly4rn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511945/original/file-20230223-703-ly4rn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511945/original/file-20230223-703-ly4rn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=900&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511945/original/file-20230223-703-ly4rn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511945/original/file-20230223-703-ly4rn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/511945/original/file-20230223-703-ly4rn4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1131&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Samango monkey using a pole canopy bridge while observer looks on.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Horta Lacueva</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Encouragingly, there is more and more <a href="https://brill.com/display/post/news/special-issue-of-folia-primatologica-highlights-the-importance-of-canopy-bridges-to-habitat-connectivity-globally.xml">research</a> showing that primates, as well as many other tree-dwelling species, accept man-made canopy bridges as a means to cross gaps in their habitat. </p>
<p>In South Africa we conducted an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0006320719319172">experiment in the field</a> to test what kind of canopy bridge primates would use to cross gaps between trees. We found that all five South African primate species used the canopy bridges offered to them. The design they preferred was a solid pole bridge, rather than a ladder bridge. </p>
<p>More and more canopy bridges of various kinds are being provided in different countries. But <a href="https://brill.com/view/journals/ijfp/93/3-6/article-p197_1.xml">research</a> shows that Africa is lagging behind other continents in doing this, and there are no canopy bridges in South Africa. We suggest that all infrastructure development projects should try to give attention to maintaining the integrity of landscapes, for example by providing bridges for animals.</p>
<h2>Public participation</h2>
<p>We all need and use linear infrastructure in our day to day lives, so we all carry some level of responsibility. Hence, we encourage people to record wildlife mortalities and submit them to publicly available repositories such as <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/">iNaturalist</a> or the <a href="https://www.gbif.org/">Global Biodiversity Information Facility</a>. </p>
<p>A new <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2076-2615/13/10/1692">Global Primate Roadkill Database</a> has been developed by Laura Praill at Oxford Brookes University and colleagues and is <a href="https://gprd.mystrikingly.com/">available to the public</a>.</p>
<p>Public awareness and participation is essential to lessen the human impact on biodiversity.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/200554/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Birthe (Bibi) Linden is affiliated with the SARChI Chair on Biodiversity Value and Change in the Faculty of Science, Engineering and Agriculture at the University of Venda and the Lajuma Resesarch Centre. She receives funding from the South African National Research Foundation (NRF).</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Wendy Collinson is affiliated with The Endangered Wildlife Trust and the South African Research Chair in Biodiversity Value & Change, School of Mathematical and Natural Sciences, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa. She is also a member of the IUCN: Transport Working Group.</span></em></p>Researchers encourage citizen scientists to contribute to datasets on animal deaths caused by infrastructure. This will inform efforts to reduce the human impact on biodiversity.Birthe (Bibi) Linden, Postdoctoral Researcher (University of Venda) & Associated Researcher (Lajuma Research Centre), University of VendaWendy Collinson, Research Fellow: South African Research Chair in Biodiversity Value & Change, University of VendaLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1976452023-03-01T12:31:37Z2023-03-01T12:31:37ZHow amateur scientists are still helping make important discoveries<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509223/original/file-20230209-20-6ispxh.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=0%2C44%2C5935%2C3900&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.pexels.com/photo/students-inside-a-classroom-8471859/">pexels/ mart production</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>What images does science conjure up in your mind?</p>
<p>You may well be visualising a laboratory, equations scrawled on a blackboard. Figures are surrounded by glassware filled with coloured liquids. Maybe someone, with a slightly furrowed brow, is hunched over a microscope. </p>
<p>But what this scene fails to convey is that science isn’t about labs, equipment or highly trained professionals. It’s not even the body of knowledge locked away in great minds or archived within text books and journals. </p>
<p>Instead, it’s about having a curious, creative, critical and evidence-based mindset. Which means anyone who uses the scientific method can and should consider themselves a scientist. Indeed, many a discovery has been made by amateur scientists. </p>
<p>They’re still helping to shape science. In January 2023, a new study <a href="https://www.cambridge.org/core/journals/cambridge-archaeological-journal/article/an-upper-palaeolithic-protowriting-system-and-phenological-calendar/6F2AD8A705888F2226FE857840B4FE19">confirmed the theory</a> of amateur archaeologist Ben Bacon who concluded 20,000-year-old cave markings were a lunar calendar. He spent hours decoding the primitive writing system, which may pre-date equivalent record-keeping systems by at least 10,000 years, before he approached a team of academics. </p>
<h2>Out of this world</h2>
<p>Astronomy has a long history of encouraging input from nonprofessional scientists. Brother and sister team <a href="https://www.jstor.org/stable/27859053?seq=2">William and Caroline Herschel</a> are among the most well known. Originally from Hanover, German, and trained as musicians, the siblings moved to England and eventually lived in Bath. During the 1770s William worked as a choirmaster while his sister kept his house. </p>
<p>After a day’s work William would spend late nights voraciously reading up on astronomy. Breakfast conversations with his sister soon infected her with his passion. Together, the Herschels taught themselves to make their own telescopes. </p>
<p>Before long their prowess as telescope makers eclipsed their musical reputations. Eventually, the <a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/topics/astronomer-royal">astronomer royal</a>, who advised the king on astronomical matters, deemed their telescopes superior to those at the Royal Observatory in Greenwich. </p>
<p>The siblings went on to make major discoveries, using their telescopes. In 1781, William was the first to spot Uranus, followed by several galaxies. Meanwhile, Caroline found eight comets, a dwarf galaxy and 14 nebulae (<a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/nebula">giant clouds of dust and gas in space</a>).</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/508089/original/file-20230203-18-y6t4fi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/508089/original/file-20230203-18-y6t4fi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=870&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/508089/original/file-20230203-18-y6t4fi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=870&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/508089/original/file-20230203-18-y6t4fi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=870&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/508089/original/file-20230203-18-y6t4fi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1094&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/508089/original/file-20230203-18-y6t4fi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1094&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/508089/original/file-20230203-18-y6t4fi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1094&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Sir William Herschel and Caroline Herschel ca. 1896.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://wellcomecollection.org/works/dmbmc538">Alfred Richard Diethe/Wellcome collection gallery</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>In the intervening 250 years, others followed the trail blazed by the Herschels. With no formal education <a href="https://earthsky.org/space/clyde-tombaugh-discovered-pluto-on-february-18-1930/">Clyde Tombaugh</a> taught himself to make telescopes. His creations landed him a job at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona, where he discovered Pluto in 1929. <a href="https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituaries/2018/02/20/thomas-bopp-comet-hunter-obituary/">Thomas Bopp</a> noticed a smudge when he peered down a friend’s scope, which was later named <a href="https://solarsystem.nasa.gov/asteroids-comets-and-meteors/comets/c-1995-o1-hale-bopp/in-depth/">Comet Hale-Bopp</a>. </p>
<p>On the very same night, (July 22 1995) unemployed physicist <a href="https://wiki.alquds.edu/?query=Alan_Hale_(astronomer)">Alan Hale</a> spotted the comet, so he shared the glory. Since then the number of discoveries, largely of planets outside of our solar system <a href="https://www.cnn.com/2021/06/22/world/exoplanets-nasa-citizen-science-scn/index.html">(exoplanets), by backyard astronomers</a> have rocketed due to <a href="https://exoplanets.nasa.gov/citizen-science/">citizen science projects</a> and the thousands of data sets made <a href="https://data.nasa.gov">publicly available by space agencies</a>. </p>
<h2>Down to Earth</h2>
<p>Back down on the ground there is still plenty for the amateur to explore. <a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/discover/mary-anning-unsung-hero.html">Mary Anning</a> is one of the most notable amateur Earth scientists. </p>
<p>In the early 19th century, she unearthed fabulous fossils on the beaches of Lyme Regis, Dorset. Despite her limited education, she devoured as much of the scientific literature as she could get her hands on and produced detailed technical drawings to record her finds. </p>
<p>Unfortunately, the influential Geological Society of London did not allow female members. So Anning was forced to sell her finds to “gentlemen” geologists who passed her work off as their own.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/508091/original/file-20230203-7171-cr3hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Sketch of dinosaur" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/508091/original/file-20230203-7171-cr3hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/508091/original/file-20230203-7171-cr3hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=926&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/508091/original/file-20230203-7171-cr3hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=926&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/508091/original/file-20230203-7171-cr3hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=926&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/508091/original/file-20230203-7171-cr3hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=1164&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/508091/original/file-20230203-7171-cr3hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=1164&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/508091/original/file-20230203-7171-cr3hk2.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=1164&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Autograph letter concerning the discovery of plesiosaurus, from Mary Anning.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://wellcomecollection.org/works/cezbevj4">Wellcome collection</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Finding traces of a long dead creature gives people a taste of the thrill that any scientist feels when their data reveals something new. Since Anning trod the beaches of the Jurassic coast many an amateur palaeontologist has followed in her path. </p>
<p>A wonderful example is <a href="https://news.sky.com/story/giant-dinosaur-footprint-the-largest-ever-found-in-yorkshire-say-experts-12812147">fossil hunters Marie Woods and Rob Taylor</a> who spotted a metre-long dinosaur footprint – the largest ever discovered – in 2021 on the Yorkshire coast. </p>
<p>It’s not just the ground under our feet that has proved fruitful for budding Earth scientists. Our atmosphere is also a fertile area of research. Today, cheap air sensors, microprocessors and mobile phone networks allow anyone to use atmospheric <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-07106-5">monitors</a> that feed into public access databanks, which are used for climate and pollution models. </p>
<p>But the first and most influential amateur climatologist was probably <a href="https://www.wired.com/story/meet-the-amateur-scientist-who-discovered-climate-change/">Guy Callendar</a>, a steam engineer by profession. </p>
<p>From the 1930s and throughout the mid 20th century, he published papers describing models of how carbon dioxide was affecting and would affect our climate. At the time his work was met with major scepticism, largely because he didn’t have scientific qualifications and because CO₂ constitutes a fraction of our atmosphere: just 0.04%, up from 0.03% in the pre-industrial era. </p>
<p>So the climatologists of the time struggled to grasp how these tiny changes could drive the dramatic effects Callendar predicted. Nevertheless, his perseverance and robust analysis of the data eventually persuaded others to take the threat of CO₂ seriously. </p>
<p>Amateur scientists thrive where data, observations and objects can be collected without technical and expensive equipment. That’s partly why historically there were so many amateur palaeontologists and astronomers. </p>
<p>Today, there is no shortage of open-source data and cheap analytical equipment. The result is hundreds of projects that interested <a href="https://www.zooniverse.org/projects">citizen scientists</a> can get involved with, from <a href="https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/penguintom79/penguin-watch">surveying penguins in the Antarctic</a> to <a href="https://www.zooniverse.org/projects/marek-slipski/cloudspotting-on-mars">cloud spotting on Mars</a>.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/aOYrVM5bTno?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Flat-Earther proves himself wrong.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Of course, access to equipment, data and even the ability to design an experiment does not a scientist make. You also need an open mind. Physicist and writer of the popular 1980s TV series Cosmos, <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.co.uk/space/who-was-carl-sagan">Carl Sagan</a>, once said:</p>
<blockquote>
<p>In science it often happens that scientists say, “You know that’s a really good argument; my position is mistaken,” and then they would actually change their minds.</p>
</blockquote>
<p>This attitude is central to any scientist’s mindset. It’s what distinguishes science from pseudoscience. A distinction beautifully made by an experiment, shown in the Netflix documentary, <a href="https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/reddit-video-flat-earth-conspiracy-b2007316.html">Beyond the Curve</a>. </p>
<p>The show finishes with a elegant experiment designed by a flat-Earther to prove his point of view. When the inevitable results came in he adopts that furrowed brow and just repeats “interesting”. </p>
<p>The documentary credits roll there, so we don’t get to see his thoughts play out. But if his next words were “I guess I was wrong”, then he gets to call himself a scientist.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/197645/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Mark Lorch does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>Mary Anning, Thomas Bopp and Ben Bacon are just a few of the nonprofessionals who pushed the frontiers of science.Mark Lorch, Professor of Science Communication and Chemistry, University of HullLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1993832023-02-23T13:15:36Z2023-02-23T13:15:36ZNight skies are getting 9.6% brighter every year as light pollution erases stars for everyone<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510410/original/file-20230215-24-phgv5z.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=747%2C249%2C5060%2C1458&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">All human development, from large cities to small towns, shines light into the night sky. </span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/evobenny/38510489362/">Benny Ang/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span></figcaption></figure><figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510596/original/file-20230216-18-s7y17h.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510596/original/file-20230216-18-s7y17h.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510596/original/file-20230216-18-s7y17h.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510596/original/file-20230216-18-s7y17h.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510596/original/file-20230216-18-s7y17h.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=255&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510596/original/file-20230216-18-s7y17h.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510596/original/file-20230216-18-s7y17h.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510596/original/file-20230216-18-s7y17h.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=321&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nd/4.0/">CC BY-ND</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>For most of human history, the stars blazed in an otherwise dark night sky. But starting around the Industrial Revolution, as artificial light increasingly lit cities and towns at night, the stars began to disappear.</p>
<p>We are <a href="https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=OrRLRQ4AAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao">two</a> <a href="https://noirlab.edu/science/about/scientists-at-noirlab">astronomers</a> who depend on dark night skies to do our research. For decades, astronomers have been <a href="https://about.ifa.hawaii.edu/facility/mauna-kea-observatories/">building telescopes</a> in the <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/star-trekking-chile-astronomy-180955798/">darkest places</a> on Earth to <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00159-010-0032-2">avoid light pollution</a>. </p>
<p>Today, most people live in cities or suburbs that <a href="https://doi.org/10.1038/457027a">needlessly shine light into the sky at night</a>, dramatically reducing the <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.1600377#body-ref-R3">visibility of stars</a>. Satellite data suggests that light pollution over North America and Europe has remained <a href="https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/sciadv.1701528">constant or has slightly decreased</a> over the last decade, while <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/9/8/798">increasing in other parts of the world</a>, such as Africa, Asia and South America. However, satellites miss the blue light of LEDs, which are <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2760/759859">commonly used for outdoor lighting</a> – resulting in an underestimate of light pollution.</p>
<p>An international citizen science project called <a href="https://globeatnight.org">Globe at Night</a> aims to measure how everyday people’s view of the sky is changing.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510429/original/file-20230215-15-f11qnb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A number of panels showing different numbers of stars." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510429/original/file-20230215-15-f11qnb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510429/original/file-20230215-15-f11qnb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510429/original/file-20230215-15-f11qnb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510429/original/file-20230215-15-f11qnb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=540&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510429/original/file-20230215-15-f11qnb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=679&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510429/original/file-20230215-15-f11qnb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=679&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510429/original/file-20230215-15-f11qnb.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=679&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The Globe at Night survey asks users to select which panel – each representing different levels of light pollution – best matches the sky above them.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://globeatnight.org/webapp/">The Globe at Night</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Measuring light pollution over time</h2>
<p>Relying on citizen scientists makes it much easier to take multiple measurements of the night sky over time from many different places. </p>
<p>To provide data to the project, volunteers enter the date and time, their location and local weather conditions into an <a href="https://globeatnight.org/webapp/">online reporting page</a> anytime an hour or more after sunset on certain nights each month. The page then shows eight panels, each displaying a constellation visible at that time of year – like Orion in January and February, for example. The first panel, representing a light-polluted night sky, only shows the few brightest stars. Each panel shows progressively more and fainter stars, representing darker and darker skies. The participant then matches what they see in the sky with one of the panels. </p>
<p>The Globe at Night team launched the report page as an online app in 2011, just at the beginning of widespread adoption of LEDs. In <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abq7781">the recent paper</a>, the team filtered out data points taken during twilight, when the Moon was out, when it was cloudy or when the data was unreliable for any other reason. This left around 51,000 data points, mostly taken in North America and Europe. </p>
<p>The data shows that the night sky got, on average, <a href="https://doi.org/10.1126/science.abq7781">9.6% brighter every year</a>. For many people, the night sky today is twice as bright as it was eight years ago. The brighter the sky, the fewer stars you can see.</p>
<p>If this trend continues, a <a href="https://eos.org/articles/starry-nights-are-disappearing">child born today</a> in a place where 250 stars are visible now would only be able to see 100 stars on their 18th birthday. </p>
<h2>Causes, impacts and solutions</h2>
<p>The main culprits driving increasing brightness of the night sky are urbanization and the growing use of <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.2760/759859">LEDs for outdoor lighting</a>.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510413/original/file-20230215-28-33uihp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Two pictures of the constellation Orion with one showing many times more stars." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510413/original/file-20230215-28-33uihp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/510413/original/file-20230215-28-33uihp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510413/original/file-20230215-28-33uihp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510413/original/file-20230215-28-33uihp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510413/original/file-20230215-28-33uihp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510413/original/file-20230215-28-33uihp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/510413/original/file-20230215-28-33uihp.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The more light pollution there is, the fewer stars a person can see when looking at the same part of the night sky. The image on the left depicts the constellation Orion in a dark sky, while the image on the right is taken near the city of Orem, Utah, a city of about 100,000 people.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/79297308@N00/3180280752">jpstanley/Flickr</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The loss of dark skies, both from light pollution and also from <a href="https://doi.org/10.1093/mnrasl/slab030">increasing numbers of satellites orbiting Earth</a>, threatens our ability as astronomers to do <a href="https://doi.org/10.1007/s00159-021-00138-3">good science</a>. But everyday people feel this loss too, as the degradation of dark skies is also a loss of human <a href="https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/night-sky-heritage/">cultural heritage</a>. Starry night skies have inspired artists, writers, musicians and philosophers for thousands of years. For many, a star-filled sky provides an irreplaceable sense of awe.</p>
<p>Light pollution also interferes with the daily cycle of light and dark that <a href="https://ec.europa.eu/research-and-innovation/en/horizon-magazine/light-pollution-altering-plant-and-animal-behaviour">plants and animals</a> use to regulate sleep, nourishment and reproduction. Two-thirds of the world’s key biodiversity areas are <a href="https://www.upi.com/Science_News/2019/02/11/Light-pollution-affects-most-of-the-planets-key-wildlife-areas/1451549899187">affected by light pollution</a>.</p>
<p>Individuals and their communities can make simple changes to <a href="https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/light-pollution-solutions/">reduce light pollution</a>. The secret is using the right amount of light, in the right place and at the right time. Shielding outdoor light fixtures so they shine downward, using bulbs that emit more yellow-colored light instead of white light and putting lights on timers or motion sensors can all help reduce light pollution.</p>
<p>The next time you are far away from a major city or another source of light pollution, look up at the night sky. A view of the roughly <a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/technology/archive/2013/11/how-many-stars-are-there-in-the-sky/281641/">2,500 stars you can see with the naked eye</a> in a truly dark sky might convince you that dark skies are a resource worth saving.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/199383/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Chris Impey receives funding from the National Science Foundation and Epic Games.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Connie Walker works for NSF's NOIRLab and the International Astronomical Union. She is a member of the American Astronomical Society's COMPASSE and on the Board of Directors for the International Dark-Sky Association.</span></em></p>With the help of thousands of citizen scientists, a new study measured exactly how much brighter night skies are getting every year.Chris Impey, University Distinguished Professor of Astronomy, University of ArizonaConnie Walker, Scientist, National Optical-Infrared Astronomy Research LaboratoryLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1980352023-02-09T16:59:27Z2023-02-09T16:59:27ZLight pollution has cut humanity’s ancient connection with the stars – but we can restore it<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/508340/original/file-20230206-31-b29opi.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=4%2C0%2C2991%2C1994&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://www.shutterstock.com/image-photo/milky-way-rises-over-pine-trees-384983128">Andrey Prokhorov/Shutterstock</a></span></figcaption></figure><p>Humans are naturally afraid of the dark. We sometimes imagine monsters under the bed and walk faster down unlit streets at night. To conquer our fears, we may leave a night light on to scare away the monsters and a light over the porch to deter break-ins. </p>
<p>Yet, in huddling for safety under our pools of light, we have lost our connection to the night sky. Star counts by public awareness campaign <a href="https://www.globeatnight.org/">Globe at Night</a> revealed that, between 2011 and 2022, the world’s night sky <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/jan/19/light-pollution-rapidly-reducing-stars-visible-naked-eye-study-finds">more than doubled in artificial brightness</a>. Yet local interventions can create meaningful change. </p>
<p>Light pollution is cutting us off from one of nature’s greatest wonders, harming wildlife and blocking research that could help fight climate change. Stars are more than pretty glimmers in the night sky. They have shaped the mythology of every human civilisation. They guide birds on their astonishing migratory journeys. And now we need to do our bit to prevent light pollution so stars can be part of our future. </p>
<p><a href="https://skyandtelescope.org/astronomy-blogs/how-many-stars-night-sky-09172014/">The human eye can detect around 5,000</a> stars in the night sky. But the light emitted by skyscrapers, street lamps, and houses obscures all but a handful of the brightest stars. </p>
<p>Our ancestors used the rising and setting of the constellations as <a href="https://www.britannica.com/science/calendar/Time-determination-by-stars-Sun-and-Moon">calendars</a>. They also <a href="https://theconversation.com/how-far-theyll-go-moana-shows-the-power-of-polynesian-celestial-navigation-72375#:%7E:text=The%20position%20of%20Moana's%20hand,are%20travelling%20exactly%20due%20East.&text=Later%20in%20the%20film%2C%20we,by%20following%20Maui's%20fish%20hook.">navigated by the stars</a> as they searched for new lands or traced nautical trade routes. Sailors don’t normally use the stars to navigate any more, but they are still taught how to, <a href="https://www.popularmechanics.com/military/research/a36078957/celestial-navigation/">in case their navigation systems break down</a>. </p>
<p>Migratory animals, including birds and insects, are <a href="https://www.darksky.org/light-pollution/wildlife/">drawn away from their natural flight paths</a> by the beckoning “sky glow” of cities. In the summer of 2019, Las Vegas was <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/las-vegas-was-inundated-46-million-grasshoppers-single-night-2019-180977395/">invaded</a> by millions of migrating grasshoppers, while the beams of New York’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/10/opinion/9-11-tribute-in-light-birds.html">9/11 Tribute in Light</a> are a magnet for flocks of migrating songbirds flying at night. </p>
<p>Disoriented by the bright city lights, birds crash into towering skyscrapers. Insect numbers are collapsing worldwide and light pollution is making matters worse by <a href="https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/light-pollution-contributes-insect-apocalypse-180973642/">disrupting their nocturnal life cycles</a>.</p>
<h2>What is light pollution</h2>
<p>Light pollution is caused by the same <a href="https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/blue-sky/en/">physics that turns the sky blue during the day</a>. Sunlight is made up of all the colours of the rainbow and each colour has a different wavelength. The air that surrounds us is composed of tiny particles (such as oxygen and carbon dioxide molecules). </p>
<p>As light from the Sun makes its way through the air, it is scattered by these particles in random directions. Blue light (with shorter wavelengths) is scattered more than red light (which has longer wavelengths). As a result, our eyes receive more blue light from every direction in the sky. </p>
<p>At night, light scattered by the same air particles causes the sky to shine down on us. A small fraction of this sky glow is caused by natural sources, such as starlight and the Earth’s atmosphere. But most of the light that creates sky glow is artificial. </p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="The constellation Orion, imaged at left from dark skies, and at right from the teeming metropolis of Orem, UT comprising about half a million people." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509173/original/file-20230209-22-xf5oal.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/509173/original/file-20230209-22-xf5oal.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509173/original/file-20230209-22-xf5oal.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509173/original/file-20230209-22-xf5oal.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=440&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509173/original/file-20230209-22-xf5oal.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509173/original/file-20230209-22-xf5oal.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/509173/original/file-20230209-22-xf5oal.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=553&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Light pollution is not pretty.</span>
<span class="attribution"><a class="source" href="https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Light_pollution_It%27s_not_pretty.jpg">Jeremy Stanley/Wikimedia</a>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/">CC BY</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Light pollution also affects our ability to study the universe. Even modern observatories, built on remote mountaintops, are affected by the encroaching sky glow from growing, sprawling cities. Light pollution is so widespread that <a href="https://www.space.com/major-observatories-suffering-light-pollution">three quarters of all observatories</a> are affected. </p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/h0RKQmVAeQM?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
<figcaption><span class="caption">Migrating birds flying through Tribute in Light in 2015.</span></figcaption>
</figure>
<h2>Looking up</h2>
<p>There is no reason to despair, though. We created light pollution; we can fix it.</p>
<p>Around the world, <a href="https://www.darksky.org/">dark sky</a> <a href="https://www.darkskydiscovery.org.uk/">associations</a> are working to educate the public about the hazards of light pollution, to lobby for <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/new-york-city-passes-landmark-lights-out-laws/">legislation to protect dark sky reserves</a> and encourage people to reignite their connection with <a href="https://www.darksky.org/our-work/lighting/">dark, star-studded skies</a>.</p>
<p><a href="https://theconversation.com/turn-off-the-porch-light-6-easy-ways-to-stop-light-pollution-from-harming-our-wildlife-132595">Fighting light pollution begins at home.</a> If you need to keep outside lights on for security, use shielded lamps that only shine downwards. Use light bulbs that do not emit violet and blue light as this is harmful to wildlife. Smart lighting controls will also help reduce your house’s effect on wildlife and make it easier for you to observe the night sky.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505372/original/file-20230119-16-5t6mrz.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/505372/original/file-20230119-16-5t6mrz.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505372/original/file-20230119-16-5t6mrz.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505372/original/file-20230119-16-5t6mrz.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=267&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505372/original/file-20230119-16-5t6mrz.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505372/original/file-20230119-16-5t6mrz.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/505372/original/file-20230119-16-5t6mrz.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=336&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">2016 world map of artificial sky brightness. 80% of the world’s population is now affected by light pollution. Credit: Falchi et al., Science Advances, 2016;2:e160037.</span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>You will also find <a href="https://www.lightpollutionmap.info">interactive maps</a> that show how polluted the skies are in your area. These maps are created from data gathered by satellites and by citizen scientists taking part in annual star counts. You can help darken our skies, too. </p>
<p>In the UK, the 2023 annual star count will take place on <a href="https://www.cpre.org.uk/what-we-care-about/nature-and-landscapes/dark-skies/star-count-2023/">February 17-24</a>. And, wherever you are in the world, you can always take part in the year-long <a href="https://globeatnight.org/">Globe at Night</a> star count whenever you want. </p>
<p>The task is simple: step outside on a clear night, count how many stars you can see in a well-known constellation, such as Orion, and report back. </p>
<p>To defeat light pollution, we need to know how severe it is and what difference national policies and local interventions (such as replacing the street lights in your town) make. In the UK, for example, star counts show light pollution may have <a href="https://www.cpre.org.uk/news/night-skies-outlook-is-bright-our-star-count-results-suggest/">peaked in 2020</a> and has started to decline. </p>
<p>Perhaps the most important aspect of star counts is that they shine a light on our vanishing night skies and galvanize us to take action. Ultimately, it’s up to each and every one of us to reduce our effect on the sky, by changing the way we light our homes and neighbourhoods and by lobbying our representatives to pass <a href="https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/new-york-city-passes-landmark-lights-out-laws/#">dark sky legislation</a>. </p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="Imagine weekly climate newsletter" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/434988/original/file-20211201-21-13avx6y.png?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption"></span>
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</figure>
<p><strong><em>Don’t have time to read about climate change as much as you’d like?</em></strong>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Or Graur does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>People travel hundreds or thousands of miles and spend a fortune to see the night sky in all its splendor. But we are literally blocking out the cosmic beauty above our homes.Or Graur, Reader in Astrophysics, University of PortsmouthLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1954502023-01-05T20:35:53Z2023-01-05T20:35:53ZInsects and spiders make up more than half NZ’s animal biodiversity – time to celebrate these spineless creatures<figure><img src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/500255/original/file-20221212-94530-zy3c8o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=57%2C101%2C4770%2C2591&q=45&auto=format&w=496&fit=clip" /><figcaption><span class="caption">
</span> <span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock/PEnsell Photography</span></span></figcaption></figure><p>After almost two decades of championing native birds in an <a href="https://www.birdoftheyear.org.nz/">annual competition</a>, Aotearoa is going to begin celebrating its spineless creatures this year.</p>
<p>New Zealand is home to more than 20,000 species of insects and spiders, representing well <a href="https://cpb-ap-se2.wpmucdn.com/blogs.auckland.ac.nz/dist/f/688/files/2021/10/Intern-report-Jono-Sept-2021-final.pdf">over half of all animal diversity</a>. Many are endemic, which means they have no other home on Earth. </p>
<p>Like Aotearoa’s birds, native invertebrates have evolved largely without mammals and have filled many ecological niches taken up by mammals elsewhere. The <a href="https://ento.org.nz/">Entomological Society of New Zealand</a> has launched a <a href="https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/">Bug of the Year competition</a> to introduce their wonderful diversity.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A montage of many different insects" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499453/original/file-20221207-12-vvx7ya.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499453/original/file-20221207-12-vvx7ya.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=278&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499453/original/file-20221207-12-vvx7ya.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=278&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499453/original/file-20221207-12-vvx7ya.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=278&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499453/original/file-20221207-12-vvx7ya.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499453/original/file-20221207-12-vvx7ya.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499453/original/file-20221207-12-vvx7ya.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=349&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">New Zealand is home to thousands of native insects and spiders, many found nowhere else.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Author provided</span>, <a class="license" href="http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/">CC BY-SA</a></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The competition also promotes the power of citizen science through <a href="https://inaturalist.nz">iNaturalistNZ</a> to encourage New Zealanders to contribute simply by posting images of the critters they see flying or crawling around in their own backyards or around Aotearoa, whether that’s on the beach, the farm or during an epic tramp up to a mountain peak. </p>
<p>Scientists can use the data from these observations to learn more about the patterns, population sizes and ecology of our unique and sometimes threatened native bugs or new arrivals that might become pests.</p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/they-might-not-have-a-spine-but-invertebrates-are-the-backbone-of-our-ecosystems-lets-help-them-out-193447">They might not have a spine, but invertebrates are the backbone of our ecosystems. Let's help them out</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<h2>No life on Earth without invertebrates</h2>
<p>Invertebrates are central to the <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-018-07916-1">functioning of ecosystems</a>. They are pollinators and decomposers, they aerate soils and control pests while also becoming food for other wildlife. But they remain understudied and underappreciated. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499463/original/file-20221207-21-1zqfj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A close-up image of a vagrant spider." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499463/original/file-20221207-21-1zqfj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499463/original/file-20221207-21-1zqfj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=594&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499463/original/file-20221207-21-1zqfj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=594&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499463/original/file-20221207-21-1zqfj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=594&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499463/original/file-20221207-21-1zqfj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=747&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499463/original/file-20221207-21-1zqfj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=747&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499463/original/file-20221207-21-1zqfj8.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=747&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Vagrant spiders are active hunters, often found under logs or stones.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jenny Jandt/iNaturalist observation 79210413</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The spider in your pantry might give you a fright, but you may not realise that she’s been eating tiny flies and pantry pests. You might have swatted at her or moved her outside where you think she’d be happier. But she was doing just fine in your pantry, and she was doing you a service, too. </p>
<p>New Zealand is home to two species of venomus spiders: the endemic katipō spider <a href="https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/391391-Latrodectus-katipo">(<em>Latrodectus katipo</em>)</a> and the Australian redback spider <a href="https://inaturalist.nz/taxa/146765-Latrodectus-hasselti">(<em>Latrodectus hasselti</em>)</a>. The odds of finding a venomous spider in a New Zealand home are low, but it’s always good to learn what it is before you swat or relocate. </p>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499684/original/file-20221208-16-vrjxdz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Close-up on a wolf spider." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499684/original/file-20221208-16-vrjxdz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499684/original/file-20221208-16-vrjxdz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499684/original/file-20221208-16-vrjxdz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499684/original/file-20221208-16-vrjxdz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499684/original/file-20221208-16-vrjxdz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499684/original/file-20221208-16-vrjxdz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499684/original/file-20221208-16-vrjxdz.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=754&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Female wolf spiders (<em>Anoteropsis hilaris</em>) weave their eggs in a ball of silk and keep it close to them until the young hatch.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jenny Jandt/iNaturalist observation 66285476</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The invertebrates in the garden – worms, millipedes, spiders – that scuttle towards you when you dig a hole to plant some flowers might be equally scary. But these critters were perfectly happy in that spot before you came along. And they’ll settle in once more after you get your flowers in place. </p>
<p>The worms will dive back into the soil, fertilising and aerating it to give your plant’s roots a good habitat for growth. The spiders and ants are hunting around for the little bugs that want to eat the flowers you just planted. </p>
<p>If you dig in your ground and find creepy crawlies aplenty, congratulations! You have some fertile soil and your plants will appreciate these tenants that help them get established. </p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499470/original/file-20221207-22-52jcyx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Flies settling on chicken poo." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499470/original/file-20221207-22-52jcyx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499470/original/file-20221207-22-52jcyx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=599&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499470/original/file-20221207-22-52jcyx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=599&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499470/original/file-20221207-22-52jcyx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=599&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499470/original/file-20221207-22-52jcyx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=753&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499470/original/file-20221207-22-52jcyx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=753&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499470/original/file-20221207-22-52jcyx.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=753&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">This group of <em>Calliphoria vicina</em> are feeding on some chicken poop.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jenny Jandt/iNaturalist observation 97721605</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Flies and wasps landing on your food or drink are annoying. Always check inside the bottle before sipping, as wasps and some fruit flies are attracted to the scent of fermenting fruit. This is the cue they use to find over-ripened fruits in your garden and they’ll help you clean them up. </p>
<p>Some flies feed on and/or lay their eggs in chicken or cat poo. While that seems gross, those flies and the larvae that hatch from the eggs are going to clean up that mess. </p>
<p>Meanwhile, big wasps are hunting the pest bugs that are chewing on broccoli and cabbage leaves in your garden, while tiny wasps are looking for aphids and other critters to lay their eggs inside. A lot of these tiny wasps (parasitoid wasps) have been introduced to Aotearoa specifically to <a href="https://b3.net.nz/bcanz/index.php">target some of our agricultural pest species</a>. </p>
<hr>
<p>
<em>
<strong>
Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/scientists-need-help-to-save-nature-with-a-smartphone-and-these-8-tips-we-can-get-our-kids-on-the-case-192622">Scientists need help to save nature. With a smartphone and these 8 tips, we can get our kids on the case</a>
</strong>
</em>
</p>
<hr>
<figure class="align-right zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499474/original/file-20221207-3971-m9nrk4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="A hover fly foraging on strawberry blossoms." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499474/original/file-20221207-3971-m9nrk4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499474/original/file-20221207-3971-m9nrk4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=601&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499474/original/file-20221207-3971-m9nrk4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=601&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499474/original/file-20221207-3971-m9nrk4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=601&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499474/original/file-20221207-3971-m9nrk4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=755&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499474/original/file-20221207-3971-m9nrk4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=755&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499474/original/file-20221207-3971-m9nrk4.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=755&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Hover flies (also called flower flies or bee flies), seen here foraging on a strawberry flower, are often mistaken for bees.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jenny Jandt/iNaturalist observation 143389969</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We have come to appreciate bees and butterflies for their pollination efforts. But other insects can pollinate, too. For example, there are <a href="https://www.mapress.com/zootaxa/2008/f/zt01716p020.pdf">37 endemic species of hoverfly</a> in Aotearoa – and even more that have not been described yet. They are often mistaken for bees as they boast yellow and black stripes and are usually seen on flowers. Beetles, wasps and other flies can also be important pollinators for certain flowers and crops. </p>
<figure class="align-left zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499475/original/file-20221207-4529-c8k11w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499475/original/file-20221207-4529-c8k11w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499475/original/file-20221207-4529-c8k11w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499475/original/file-20221207-4529-c8k11w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499475/original/file-20221207-4529-c8k11w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499475/original/file-20221207-4529-c8k11w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=755&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499475/original/file-20221207-4529-c8k11w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=755&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499475/original/file-20221207-4529-c8k11w.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=755&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Native bees are often mistaken for small flies.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jenny Jandt/iNaturalist observation 94890356</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Most people recognise the introduced bumble bees and honey bees, but New Zealand’s <a href="https://www.fortheloveofbees.co.nz/native-bees">28 native species of bee</a> (ngaro huruhuru) are often mistaken for small flies. Ngaro huruhuru are tiny, often black or metallic green and mostly solitary. Some nest in groups where each excavates a hole in a clay bank or undisturbed patch of soil to raise their young. </p>
<p>Social bumble bees and honey bees can outnumber solitary bees significantly. Ngaro huruhuru prefer small, open aster-like flowers, many of which we tend to think of as weeds. Dandelions, daisies and ragwort are the most common flowers to find foraging native bees. Ragwort is also attractive to flies and butterflies. </p>
<figure class="align-right ">
<img alt="" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499476/original/file-20221207-24-j4059x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=237&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/499476/original/file-20221207-24-j4059x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499476/original/file-20221207-24-j4059x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499476/original/file-20221207-24-j4059x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=600&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499476/original/file-20221207-24-j4059x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=755&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499476/original/file-20221207-24-j4059x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=755&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/499476/original/file-20221207-24-j4059x.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=755&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">The endemic red admiral (kahukura, <em>Vanessa gonerilla gonerilla</em>) needs stinging nettles to lay its eggs.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Jenny Jandt/iNaturalist observation 110643854</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>Butterflies can look like little fluttering rainbows, adding colour and life to the garden. As adults, they can be important pollinators of flowering plants. However, their larvae (caterpillars) need a host plant. For example, the New Zealand red admiral (kahukura) relies on the native stinging tree nettle (ongaonga), but this is often considered a weed and removed from gardens. This limits opportunities for these beautiful butterflies to reproduce, leading to severe population declines in some regions of the country. </p>
<p>The next time you’re in your garden, take a minute to consider the insects and invertebrates occupying the spaces on, under and inside your plants. Post photos on <a href="https://inaturalist.nz/">iNaturalistNZ</a> to learn more about them and be sure to check out this year’s 24 nominees for <a href="https://bugoftheyear.ento.org.nz/">Bug of the Year 2023</a> competition. Voting closes on February 13.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/195450/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Jennifer Jandt is affiliated with the Entomological Society of New Zealand, a member of the Bug of the Year Committee, and is Editor-in-Chief of the New Zealand Entomologist. </span></em></p>There would be no life on Earth without invertebrates, but they are understudied and underappreciated. The Bug of the Year competition aims to change that, so have your say and vote!Jennifer Jandt, Senior Lecturer in Ecology, University of OtagoLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1943662022-11-24T02:22:35Z2022-11-24T02:22:35ZReef manta rays are in decline globally – but new research finds one place in Indonesia where these charismatic rays are thriving<p>Raja Ampat archipelago in West Papua is <a href="https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.4396259">home to Indonesia’s largest population of reef manta rays</a>, <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/195459/214395983"><em>Mobula alfredi</em></a>. They are not mammals, but cartilaginous fish that are related to sharks.</p>
<p>This species is characterised by <a href="https://etheses.whiterose.ac.uk/16981/">late maturation and extremely low fertility</a>, which make their populations especially vulnerable. Males start to sexually mature at 9 to 13 years old, while females require 13 to 17 years to mature. A female gives birth to only one pup every 2 to 6 years after about one year of pregnancy.</p>
<p>Their populations have been <a href="https://www.iucnredlist.org/species/195459/214395983">depleted due to overfishing in many regions in Indo-Pacific</a>. Some of these include East Nusa Tenggara and North Sulawesi (Indonesia), the Philippines, Papua New Guinea and <a href="https://research-repository.uwa.edu.au/en/publications/ecology-and-conservation-of-a-threatened-reef-manta-ray-imobula-a">Mozambique in Africa</a>. </p>
<p>In Raja Ampat, there were anecdotal reports from the local community suggesting that reef manta rays were often caught unintentionally by non-local shark fishers. In the 1990s and early 2000s, sharks were heavily caught in Raja Ampat using large gillnets and longlines, not to mention other <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0025326X12003451">illegal and destructive fishing practices by outsiders</a>.</p>
<p>To protect marine biodiversity and ensure food security for local communities, the Raja Ampat government officially developed a marine protected area network in 2007. Since then, manta rays in the region have begun to enjoy some protection. After 15 years of this initiative, its impact on manta ray populations had not been assessed.</p>
<p>Our new research, <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.1014791/full">published in Frontiers in Marine Science</a>, found reef manta ray populations in Raja Ampat have thrived over a decade of our study. This study suggests that <a href="https://birdsheadseascape.com/download/research/conservation/Setyawan-2022BHSmantarayconservation_2.pdf">the long-term implementation of conservation and management efforts</a> implemented by Raja Ampat government has been fruitful.</p>
<figure>
<iframe width="440" height="260" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/f9k3a2yZyuU?wmode=transparent&start=0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen=""></iframe>
</figure>
<p>Our research is the first in the world to report thriving populations of this megafauna. It also provides a reason for optimism when an integrated approach is adopted for shark and ray conservation initiatives.</p>
<h2>Assessing two growing populations</h2>
<p>Our research team managed to collect and curate manta ray images and sighting data from 2009 to 2019, thanks to citizen scientists and collaborators – especially divers and dive operators who contributed their manta ray photos.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="Unique identification of reef manta ray." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494847/original/file-20221111-2672-dvghv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494847/original/file-20221111-2672-dvghv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494847/original/file-20221111-2672-dvghv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494847/original/file-20221111-2672-dvghv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494847/original/file-20221111-2672-dvghv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494847/original/file-20221111-2672-dvghv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494847/original/file-20221111-2672-dvghv5.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">Unique markings on the underside of a reef manta ray that can be used to distinguish one from another through photographic identification. This feature allows us to create a database of manta ray sightings to track them over time.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Author provided)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>We used the sighting data to look into reef manta ray demographic trends in two marine protected areas with the most consistent data collection over a decade: Dampier Strait and South East Misool.</p>
<p>In Dampier Strait, the estimated population increased from 226 to 317, with an annual compound growth rate of 3.9%. South East Misool’s population increased at a higher rate of 10.7% per year, from 210 to 511 individuals over a decade of study.</p>
<figure class="align-center zoomable">
<a href="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494836/original/file-20221111-24-1t5f3l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=1000&fit=clip"><img alt="Marine Protected Areas in Raja Ampat, West Papua." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494836/original/file-20221111-24-1t5f3l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494836/original/file-20221111-24-1t5f3l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494836/original/file-20221111-24-1t5f3l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494836/original/file-20221111-24-1t5f3l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494836/original/file-20221111-24-1t5f3l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494836/original/file-20221111-24-1t5f3l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494836/original/file-20221111-24-1t5f3l.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=533&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px"></a>
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A network of nine marine protected areas in Raja Ampat (Indonesia), including Dampier Strait and South East Misool.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Author provided)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>The manta rays were estimated to have high survival rates. Each year, up to 93% of individuals in the populations survived. Furthermore, the populations typically saw a 20% boost from new individuals annually, which can be from newborns and/or larger rays from outside study areas. These resulted in the increase in manta ray populations in both marine protected areas.</p>
<h2>Contributing factors</h2>
<p>The thriving populations of reef manta rays strongly suggest this species is well protected in Raja Ampat waters. Almost all known <a href="http://www.oceansciencefoundation.org/josf/josf36h.pdf">feeding and cleaning sites</a> are located within the 2 million hectare marine protected area network. These sites, where manta rays frequently visit and gather for feeding and to be cleaned of parasites by cleaner fish, are important for their survival and health.</p>
<p>We also found that <a href="https://www.climate.gov/news-features/blogs/enso/what-el-ni%C3%B1o%E2%80%93southern-oscillation-enso-nutshell">El Niño</a> events generated more intense upwellings (upward motion of seawater) – bringing cold and nutrient-rich water to the surface. These then increased opportunities for manta rays to feed in large feeding groups, enabling the manta rays to store much energy for reproduction and for mating.</p>
<figure class="align-center ">
<img alt="A reef manta ray when sucking as much zooplankton as possible." src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494848/original/file-20221111-11-hkg93o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/494848/original/file-20221111-11-hkg93o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494848/original/file-20221111-11-hkg93o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494848/original/file-20221111-11-hkg93o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=337&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494848/original/file-20221111-11-hkg93o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494848/original/file-20221111-11-hkg93o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/494848/original/file-20221111-11-hkg93o.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=424&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
<figcaption>
<span class="caption">A reef manta ray with its mouth wide open and unfurled cephalic lobes to gorge as much zooplankton as possible.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">(Author provided)</span></span>
</figcaption>
</figure>
<p>During and shortly after the El Niño events, we observed high number of pregnant rays in the populations. Following this period, many of the expected baby manta rays likely live in sheltered nursery areas like <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2022.815094/full">Wayag lagoon</a> or <a href="http://www.oceansciencefoundation.org/josf/josf36h.pdf">Fam Islands</a>, both situated in Raja Ampat. They stay there for a few years – which could increase their chance of survival – before they are large enough to join adult populations, like those in the study areas.</p>
<h2>Lessons learned</h2>
<p>This research shows that it is not impossible to conserve large and highly migratory species such as reef manta rays. The series of <a href="https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpol.2021.104953">conservation and management efforts implemented since 2007</a> by the Raja Ampat government has successfully minimised fisheries-related threats to manta ray populations.</p>
<p>The creation of a network of nine marine protected areas actively patrolled by local communities and authorities have forced <a href="https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fmars.2016.00043/full">sharks fishers to relocate to areas outside Raja Ampat, or change their livelihood</a>. The use of fishing gear like gillnets and longlines has been restricted throughout Raja Ampat waters. All of these have minimised shark fishing and the resulting potential of manta rays unintentionally being caught.</p>
<p>Furthermore, the designation of Southeast Asia’s first shark and ray sanctuary in 2012 has given significantly stronger protection to manta rays. In the sanctuary, the vast development of manta tourism have pushed down fisheries-related threats to manta rays to minimal.</p>
<p>Finally, favourable environmental conditions affected by the El Niño events have helped manta rays continue to thrive.</p>
<h2>What’s next?</h2>
<p>Given massive efforts to monitor the vast and remote areas of Raja Ampat archipelago, continued monitoring efforts and contributions from citizen scientists for the growing manta sighting database are required. </p>
<p>It is also important to maintain the conservation efforts to minimise threats, allowing manta ray populations to survive and thrive.</p><img src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/194366/count.gif" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" />
<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Edy Setyawan received funding from the Manaaki New Zealand Scholarship - Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) New Zealand, and the WWF Russell E. Train Education for Nature Program (EFN).
</span></em></p>Our new, world-first research provides strong evidence of a significant increase in reef manta rays in protected areas of Raja Ampat over a decade.Edy Setyawan, Marine Ecologist, University of Auckland, Waipapa Taumata RauLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.tag:theconversation.com,2011:article/1926222022-11-22T00:12:27Z2022-11-22T00:12:27ZScientists need help to save nature. With a smartphone and these 8 tips, we can get our kids on the case<p>Citizen science is touted as a way for the general public to contribute to producing new knowledge. But citizen science volunteers <a href="https://eprints.whiterose.ac.uk/173813/">don’t always represent</a> a broad cross-section of society. Rather, they’re <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0245682">often</a> white, male, middle-aged, educated and already interested in science.</p>
<p>This lack of representation has several problems. It can undermine the <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/0306312706068492">potential</a> of citizen science to bridge the divide between lay people and experts. It also means fewer people benefit from the chance to advance their informal science education and gain valuable life skills.</p>
<p>It’s important that citizen science projects engage volunteers from across society, including young people. A new Australian initiative is doing just that.</p>
<p>The <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/b-b-bioblitz-2022">B&B BioBlitz</a> aims to get school students gathering data about Australia’s natural environment. This year’s event shows how citizen science in school can help develop STEM skills and make gains in biodiversity research.</p>
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<img alt="young child hides behind tree branch" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496362/original/file-20221121-19-c680ia.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&rect=505%2C563%2C2307%2C1421&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496362/original/file-20221121-19-c680ia.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496362/original/file-20221121-19-c680ia.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496362/original/file-20221121-19-c680ia.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496362/original/file-20221121-19-c680ia.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496362/original/file-20221121-19-c680ia.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496362/original/file-20221121-19-c680ia.jpeg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">For citizen science to be truly inclusive it must engage all age groups, including children.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<h2>More hands on deck</h2>
<p>It’s broadly acknowledged that Australia needs more hands on deck when it comes to scientific data collection. For example, only <a href="https://www.science.org.au/curious/video/race-identify-australias-unknown-species">about 30%</a> of Australia’s estimated 750,000 species have been formally named and documented. Rectifying this will require an enormous uptick in information gathering.</p>
<p>What’s more, Australia has one of the world’s <a href="https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.117">worst</a> extinction records. Citizen science is an <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2351989419307218">important way</a> to fill information gaps, identify species’ declines and their causes, inform conservation decisions and evaluate their effectiveness. </p>
<p>This year’s State of the Environment report <a href="https://soe.dcceew.gov.au/biodiversity/management/information-and-monitoring">recognised</a> the need for more citizen science. It said the level of biodiversity research required “cannot be achieved by professionals and institutions alone”.</p>
<p>That’s where the B&B BioBlitz comes in.</p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/from-counting-birds-to-speaking-out-how-citizen-science-leads-us-to-ask-crucial-questions-166673">From counting birds to speaking out: how citizen science leads us to ask crucial questions</a>
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<img alt="Man kneels in mangrove taking notes" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496394/original/file-20221121-25-ogzerl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496394/original/file-20221121-25-ogzerl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496394/original/file-20221121-25-ogzerl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496394/original/file-20221121-25-ogzerl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=400&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496394/original/file-20221121-25-ogzerl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496394/original/file-20221121-25-ogzerl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496394/original/file-20221121-25-ogzerl.jpg?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=503&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">The task of biodiversity monitoring is far too big for professional scientists to undertake alone.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">Shutterstock</span></span>
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<h2>What exactly is a BioBlitz?</h2>
<p>The <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/b-b-bioblitz-2022">B&B BioBlitz</a> is a national school citizen science program co-ordinated by PlantingSeeds Projects – a non-profit sustainability organisation founded by the lead author of this article. The inaugural event ran in National Biodiversity Month in September this year. Both authors of this article were project organisers and educators.</p>
<p>Sixty schools from across every Australian state and territory participated. Participants comprised students from infants to high school, and their teachers. </p>
<p>Most schools are located in urban areas, which makes them <a href="https://www.ps.org.au/content/articles/2022/8/16/the-national-school-citizen-science-bampb-bioblitz-is-coming">particularly valuable</a> sites for scientific research. Many <a href="https://apo.org.au/sites/default/files/resource-files/2020-08/apo-nid308370.pdf">threatened</a> plant and animal species live in urban areas, yet, <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11252-021-01187-3">only 5%</a> of citizen science projects in Australia are urban-based. </p>
<p>The project involved students taking images of plant and animal species in their school grounds on devices such as tablets and smartphones provided by the school. Students also recorded information such as the time, date and location of the photo. </p>
<p>A designated teacher uploaded the photos and data to the B&B BioBlitz project on <a href="https://www.inaturalist.org">iNaturalist</a>, one of the world’s most popular biodiversity citizen science platforms and apps. At the time of writing, iNaturalist contained more than 121 million observations uploaded by citizens from around the world.</p>
<p>Throughout September, students made more than 2,300 observations in school grounds, involving 635 plant, animal and fungi species. Students could log onto iNaturalist to see a project “leaderboard”, browse the observations submitted and learn about species’ taxonomy and distribution. </p>
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<img alt="photos uploaded to citizen science app" src="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496611/original/file-20221121-18698-8wfdki.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&fit=clip" srcset="https://images.theconversation.com/files/496611/original/file-20221121-18698-8wfdki.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=1 600w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496611/original/file-20221121-18698-8wfdki.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=2 1200w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496611/original/file-20221121-18698-8wfdki.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=600&h=582&fit=crop&dpr=3 1800w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496611/original/file-20221121-18698-8wfdki.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=45&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=1 754w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496611/original/file-20221121-18698-8wfdki.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=30&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=2 1508w, https://images.theconversation.com/files/496611/original/file-20221121-18698-8wfdki.PNG?ixlib=rb-1.1.0&q=15&auto=format&w=754&h=732&fit=crop&dpr=3 2262w" sizes="(min-width: 1466px) 754px, (max-width: 599px) 100vw, (min-width: 600px) 600px, 237px">
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<span class="caption">A screenshot from iNaturalist, showing some of the 635 plant and animal species observed during the BioBlitz.</span>
<span class="attribution"><span class="source">iNaturalist</span></span>
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<p>A <a href="https://www.mdpi.com/1424-2818/13/7/318/htm">study has demonstrated</a> young people can contribute observations to iNaturalist that are “research grade” – and therefore more accessible and potentially useful to biodiversity research and monitoring. And the longer they participate for, the better their observations become.</p>
<p>Observations of species during this project contributed to more comprehensive datasets that scientists can now draw upon. Of note were images of an uncommon “<a href="https://australian.museum/learn/animals/insects/balsam-beast/">Balsam Beast</a>” katydid and the iconic Sturt’s desert pea. </p>
<p>Almost all observations uploaded to iNaturalist are also directly exported to the CSIRO’s Atlas of Living Australia.</p>
<h2>The pros and cons</h2>
<p>Verbal and online feedback by students reveals how citizen science can be a practical and positive experience. </p>
<p>One North Melbourne primary school student said the activity made her feel “like being more a part of a community”. </p>
<p>One student in Darwin said the activity was “the most fun he had ever had” and his teacher reported that while taking part, the student was “the most engaged he had seen”.</p>
<p>But the B&B BioBlitz was not without its challenges.</p>
<p>Many teachers, including science teachers, had limited knowledge of citizen science and often hadn’t heard of the term. This meant that teachers needed basic education on the topic prior to any school involvement in the BioBlitz. </p>
<p>Teachers are busy and face many pressing demands. However, if the benefits of citizen science are to be fully realised, there’s a need to broaden teacher awareness of the practice, and improve their skills in accessing databases such as iNaturalist. </p>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/thousands-of-photos-captured-by-everyday-australians-reveal-the-secrets-of-our-marine-life-as-oceans-warm-189231">Thousands of photos captured by everyday Australians reveal the secrets of our marine life as oceans warm</a>
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<h2>8 tips for successful biodiversity citizen science</h2>
<p>So how can young people be helped to take a good citizen science observation? The following eight tips offer a guide:</p>
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<li><p>Capture as many angles and as much information as you can. While some groups such as birds can often be recognised from a single photograph, many other taxa require multiple features for a positive identification to be made </p></li>
<li><p>When observing plants, photograph as many features as possible. This includes flowers and leaves (from above and below), bark, fruit if present, a branch showing leaf arrangement, and a shot of the whole plant to give a sense of its growth habit</p></li>
<li><p>Photograph fungi from above, below (showing the gills or pores) and the side </p></li>
<li><p>Record the “substrate” you find a fungus on, such as soil or dead wood, and the type of soil a plant is growing in </p></li>
<li><p>Insect identification can often be helped by the number and position of veins in an insect’s wing. Try and capture this by getting shots from directly above</p></li>
<li><p>Noting the plant you find a beetle or bug on can aid identification and provide useful ecological data </p></li>
<li><p>If you find a spider in a web, photographs of both the upper and undersides can be helpful</p></li>
<li><p>If in doubt, just record as much information as you can. You never know who might find your data useful!</p></li>
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Read more:
<a href="https://theconversation.com/bandbs-for-birds-and-bees-transform-your-garden-or-balcony-into-a-wildlife-haven-129907">B&Bs for birds and bees: transform your garden or balcony into a wildlife haven</a>
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<p class="fine-print"><em><span>Judy Friedlander is the founder of the not-for-profit organisation, PlantingSeeds Projects, which steered the B&B BioBlitz.</span></em></p><p class="fine-print"><em><span>Thomas Mesaglio does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.</span></em></p>It’s important that citizen science projects engage volunteers from across society, including young people. A new Australian initiative is doing just that.Judy Friedlander, Adjunct Fellow, Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology SydneyThomas Mesaglio, PhD candidate, UNSW SydneyLicensed as Creative Commons – attribution, no derivatives.