Co‐design of a citizen science study: Unlocking the potential of eDNA for volunteer freshwater monitoring
Abstract Citizen science is increasingly being promoted as a means of gathering more data to help inform the management of ecosystems. Involving the participants in the design of data collection activities is a form of co‐design often proposed by those calling for a translational ecology. In additio...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Wiley
2023-07-01
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| Series: | Ecological Solutions and Evidence |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12273 |
| _version_ | 1827804331767758848 |
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| author | Stewart J. Clarke Emily Long Jeremy Biggs Kat Bruce Anita Weatherby Lynsey R. Harper Rosemary S. Hails |
| author_facet | Stewart J. Clarke Emily Long Jeremy Biggs Kat Bruce Anita Weatherby Lynsey R. Harper Rosemary S. Hails |
| author_sort | Stewart J. Clarke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Citizen science is increasingly being promoted as a means of gathering more data to help inform the management of ecosystems. Involving the participants in the design of data collection activities is a form of co‐design often proposed by those calling for a translational ecology. In addition, novel monitoring approaches have the potential to improve the quality of data collected by citizen scientists. We explored the potential of environmental DNA (eDNA) for vertebrate (mainly fish) species monitoring through a co‐designed catchment monitoring strategy. Having been introduced to the potential of eDNA, citizen scientists designed and executed an eDNA‐based survey of a small chalk stream catchment to explore questions of concern. The eDNA survey provided data about fish and other vertebrate diversity in the catchment which would have otherwise required sampling approaches difficult for citizen scientists. These data give a preliminary answer to some of the citizen scientists' priority questions and are comparable to fish data collected through traditional electrofishing surveys. Recommendations are offered for co‐design and the use of novel research techniques by citizen scientists. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:09:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f2714e4176c84b66873a5f47dc8764bb |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2688-8319 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-11T21:09:27Z |
| publishDate | 2023-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecological Solutions and Evidence |
| spelling | doaj.art-f2714e4176c84b66873a5f47dc8764bb2023-09-29T07:58:32ZengWileyEcological Solutions and Evidence2688-83192023-07-0143n/an/a10.1002/2688-8319.12273Co‐design of a citizen science study: Unlocking the potential of eDNA for volunteer freshwater monitoringStewart J. Clarke0Emily Long1Jeremy Biggs2Kat Bruce3Anita Weatherby4Lynsey R. Harper5Rosemary S. Hails6National Trust Swindon UKNational Trust Swindon UKFreshwater Habitats Trust Oxford UKNature Metrics Guildford UKNational Trust Swindon UKThe Freshwater Biological Association Ambleside UKNational Trust Swindon UKAbstract Citizen science is increasingly being promoted as a means of gathering more data to help inform the management of ecosystems. Involving the participants in the design of data collection activities is a form of co‐design often proposed by those calling for a translational ecology. In addition, novel monitoring approaches have the potential to improve the quality of data collected by citizen scientists. We explored the potential of environmental DNA (eDNA) for vertebrate (mainly fish) species monitoring through a co‐designed catchment monitoring strategy. Having been introduced to the potential of eDNA, citizen scientists designed and executed an eDNA‐based survey of a small chalk stream catchment to explore questions of concern. The eDNA survey provided data about fish and other vertebrate diversity in the catchment which would have otherwise required sampling approaches difficult for citizen scientists. These data give a preliminary answer to some of the citizen scientists' priority questions and are comparable to fish data collected through traditional electrofishing surveys. Recommendations are offered for co‐design and the use of novel research techniques by citizen scientists.https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12273catchmentcitizen scienceco‐designeDNAfreshwater |
| spellingShingle | Stewart J. Clarke Emily Long Jeremy Biggs Kat Bruce Anita Weatherby Lynsey R. Harper Rosemary S. Hails Co‐design of a citizen science study: Unlocking the potential of eDNA for volunteer freshwater monitoring Ecological Solutions and Evidence catchment citizen science co‐design eDNA freshwater |
| title | Co‐design of a citizen science study: Unlocking the potential of eDNA for volunteer freshwater monitoring |
| title_full | Co‐design of a citizen science study: Unlocking the potential of eDNA for volunteer freshwater monitoring |
| title_fullStr | Co‐design of a citizen science study: Unlocking the potential of eDNA for volunteer freshwater monitoring |
| title_full_unstemmed | Co‐design of a citizen science study: Unlocking the potential of eDNA for volunteer freshwater monitoring |
| title_short | Co‐design of a citizen science study: Unlocking the potential of eDNA for volunteer freshwater monitoring |
| title_sort | co design of a citizen science study unlocking the potential of edna for volunteer freshwater monitoring |
| topic | catchment citizen science co‐design eDNA freshwater |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/2688-8319.12273 |
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