CITIZEN SCIENCE: MAKING A DIFFERENCE
Every year, during the second week of February, people all over the world leave their offices and homes to go outside for fifteen minutes and write down the name of each bird species they see. A special phone app* is available to those who need help identifying the species. The data, including details about location, is sent to scientists at Cornell University in the USA. There, all the information received is analyzed in order to discover the impact of climate change on the numbers of birds and their habitats throughout the world. This is just one of many citizen science projects, where the public participates in scientific research.(lines 1–7)
Over the past twenty years, scientists, especially environmentalists, have depended increasingly on the contributions of citizen scientists, as they are called. According to zoologist Dr. Dave Scott, the information they provide is extremely impressive both in quantity and in reliability. In fact, he says, he has often used it in his own research. The organization Scott works for, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), has a huge amount of data on all living creatures. About half of it has been collected by members of the public, who engage in activities such as counting bees or recording birdsong. All the GBIF data is available to researchers at no cost – a real bonus, says Scott, because many environmental studies do not receive adequate funding.(lines 8–16)
However, says Australian ecologist Prof. Hugh Possingham, if we want to understand the processes affecting plant and animal populations, the data must be collected regularly – many times a year over many years. Otherwise, it is of limited value. Fortunately, he adds, large numbers of citizen scientists volunteer for such time-consuming projects. He gives as an example the people who work with the Climate Watch project and regularly measure temperature and rainfall in their gardens.(lines 17–22)
It is also important, says Possingham, to collect data both before and after environmental interventions are introduced. One intervention being planned, he says, is to create protected areas near the coast of Australia where commercial fishing will be banned. Scientists working on the project hope this ban will lead to an increase in fish populations inside and outside that region. But to discover what actually happens, they will need information about the number of fish before the ban is introduced and for many years afterwards. The fish will be counted by local fishermen and people whose hobby is diving.(lines 23–29)
Possingham also sees social and educational benefits from public involvement in monitoring environmental changes. People who see the worrying trends for themselves, he says, are more likely to want to understand the underlying causes. Moreover, being engaged in the actual science gives them the confidence to speak out on these issues. Consequently, they will be more willing to give active support to scientists who are trying to influence government policies, and in this way help in the effort to save many species facing extinction.(lines 30–35)