Citizen science and wildlife biology: Synergies and challenges

Didone Frigerio,R Bshary,Jörg Melzheimer,Silvia Winter,Pavel Pipek,Bettina Wachter,Anett Richter,Lucie Diblíková,Sophia Kimmig

doi:10.1111/eth.12746

Abstract

AbstractCitizen science (CS) has evolved over the past decades as a working method involving interested citizens in scientific research, for example by reporting observations, taking measurements or analysing data. In the past, research on animal behaviour has been benefitting from contributions of citizen scientists mainly in the field of ornithology but the full potential of CS in ecological and behavioural sciences is surely still untapped. Here, we present case studies that successfully applied CS to research projects in wildlife biology and discuss potentials and challenges experienced. Our case studies cover a broad range of opportunities: large‐scale CS projects with interactive online tools on bird song dialects, engagement of stakeholders as citizen scientists to reduce human–wildlife conflicts, involvement of students of primary and secondary schools in CS projects as well as collaboration with the media leading to successful recruitment of citizen scientists. Each case study provides a short overview of the scientific questions and how they were approached to showcase the potentials and challenges of CS in wildlife biology. Based on the experience of the case studies, we highlight how CS may support research in wildlife biology and emphasise the value of fostering communication in CS to improve recruitment of participants and to facilitate learning and mutual trust among different groups of interest (e.g., researchers, stakeholders, students). We further show how specific training for the participants may be needed to obtain reliable data. We consider CS as a suitable tool to enhance research in wildlife biology through the application of open science procedures (i.e., open access to articles and the data on publicly available repositories) to support transparency and sharing experiences.

Highlights

Citizen science (CS) is a research format for scientists and volunteers to collaboratively investigate various topics (Bonn et al, 2016)
Recent decades have seen rapid growth of public participation in scientific processes (Kullenberg & Kasperowski, 2016) and the promotion to take up the manifold opportunities for scientists and citizens to work together to mutual benefit (Ceccaroni & Piera, 2017; ECSA 2015)
We present in this study the outcomes of the discussions which focussed mainly on the following three questions: 1. What is the added value of CS in wildlife biology studies? 2

Summary

| INTRODUCTION

Citizen science (CS) is a research format for scientists and volunteers to collaboratively investigate various topics (Bonn et al, 2016). Investigation and conservation CS projects provide researchers with large quantities of data contributing to long- term monitoring and natural resource management goals (e.g., our case studies on yellowhammer dialects and red fox Vulpes vulpes behaviour). Education-based activities aim especially at increasing scientific literacy and raising awareness about the environment (Bela et al, 2016; Bonney et al, 2009) rather than on data collection Such activities come at relatively high costs and substantial funding is needed to ensure partnerships and long-term effects (e.g., our case study 3.3 on the involvement of students in research). The third case study (by SW & DF; education-based activities) reports three different projects involving citizens and students to (i) gain information about wildlife in gardens and (ii) contribute to the long-term monitoring of two avian species of birds. Limited financial resources Lack of professional training for scientists in communication and mediation skills (Continues)

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