Citizen Science
You have the power!
So just what is citizen science?
It is the simple idea that any person can learn, understand, and apply the scientific method to the world around them, either as part of a project guided by a professional scientist or in following their own curiosity. Professional scientists have harnessed the power of citizen science throughout history, for example in the field of astronomy (read Dana Sobel's book The Glass Universe for an intriguing example). However, citizen science is only just beginning to be truly appreciated for the marvelous scientific tool that it is, in part due to the advent of online communities and mobile apps for data collection, as well as a concerted effort by dedicated scientists to make citizen science an accepted form of data collection for peer-reviewed journals. Organizing citizen science projects allows professional scientists to both encourage scientific literacy and participation and to collect more data at a faster pace and larger geographic scale than they could otherwise. Given the global scale of some of the issues that scientists are tackling, such as climate change, citizen science has never been more important, both for public understanding of how science impacts their lives and for the ability of scientists to answer global questions. Citizen science also offers unprecedented opportunities for feedback between local communities and scientists to come up with novel solutions and approaches to environmental issues. Examples of several very succesful citizen science efforts that incorporate tech include eBird, Planet Hunters, iNaturalist, and iSeeChange. You can also head over to the Citizen Science Association to stay on top of the growing international citizen science movement, and even be a part of shaping it (Photo: Volunteers learn to identify hummingbirds and use iNaturalist at the Santa Monica Stunt Ranch Reserve).
It is the simple idea that any person can learn, understand, and apply the scientific method to the world around them, either as part of a project guided by a professional scientist or in following their own curiosity. Professional scientists have harnessed the power of citizen science throughout history, for example in the field of astronomy (read Dana Sobel's book The Glass Universe for an intriguing example). However, citizen science is only just beginning to be truly appreciated for the marvelous scientific tool that it is, in part due to the advent of online communities and mobile apps for data collection, as well as a concerted effort by dedicated scientists to make citizen science an accepted form of data collection for peer-reviewed journals. Organizing citizen science projects allows professional scientists to both encourage scientific literacy and participation and to collect more data at a faster pace and larger geographic scale than they could otherwise. Given the global scale of some of the issues that scientists are tackling, such as climate change, citizen science has never been more important, both for public understanding of how science impacts their lives and for the ability of scientists to answer global questions. Citizen science also offers unprecedented opportunities for feedback between local communities and scientists to come up with novel solutions and approaches to environmental issues. Examples of several very succesful citizen science efforts that incorporate tech include eBird, Planet Hunters, iNaturalist, and iSeeChange. You can also head over to the Citizen Science Association to stay on top of the growing international citizen science movement, and even be a part of shaping it (Photo: Volunteers learn to identify hummingbirds and use iNaturalist at the Santa Monica Stunt Ranch Reserve).
California Pollination Project. I use citizen science to collect data about plant-pollinator interactions at my study sites and across California. As it turns out, we know very little about plant-pollinator interactions for the vast majority of ecosystems and species worldwide. Who visits what? How do interactions change with the seasons? How will pollination change in response to climate change? Baseline data is desperately needed. However, collecting that data is extremely time-consuming even in localized areas, making pollination an ideal subject for citizen scientists to tackle. You can participate! Just download the iNaturalist app, make an iNaturalist account, and join the California Pollination Project. This data can then be downloaded and used to build plant-pollinator interaction networks to inform current and future research and restoration efforts across California. (Photo: Gray hairstreak (Strymon melinus) visiting ornamental flowers on the UC Riverside campus).
Cell phone photography. Correct identification of insects involved in pollination through the iNaturalist app requires detailed photos. While many cell phones have excellent macro lenses, sometimes a little extra help from a clip-on macro lens can be helpful. I train volunteers in my pollination citizen science projects to use these lenses when need be to capture the identity of pollinators.
Clip-on lenses are easily obtained and affordable, and there are a wide range to choose from; For photographing small pollinators, here are some products that I have found helpful (links to Amazon.com):
1. AMIR 2 in 1 lens with LED light. (~$17)
2. Universal 3 in 1 lens kit. (~$14)
3. Fotopro lens 3 in 1 kit (~$10)
4. Easy-Macro Lens Band (~$10; good if you have a bulky phone case)
While most products come with multiple types of lenses sold together, the macro lens is the most useful for photographing small details. You don't need much magnification, between 5x to 15x is usually sufficient.
Clip-on lenses are easily obtained and affordable, and there are a wide range to choose from; For photographing small pollinators, here are some products that I have found helpful (links to Amazon.com):
1. AMIR 2 in 1 lens with LED light. (~$17)
2. Universal 3 in 1 lens kit. (~$14)
3. Fotopro lens 3 in 1 kit (~$10)
4. Easy-Macro Lens Band (~$10; good if you have a bulky phone case)
While most products come with multiple types of lenses sold together, the macro lens is the most useful for photographing small details. You don't need much magnification, between 5x to 15x is usually sufficient.
? Want to start a pollinator citizen science project and need advice or want to collaborate? Email me: [email protected]