1.3H Citizen science Notes

1. Citizen science helps scientists monitor large-scale environmental changes by gathering data from different locations.
2. It increases public awareness and engagement in sustainability and conservation efforts.
3. It provides valuable real-time data for policymakers and researchers to make informed decisions.

Citizen Science & Sustainability Monitoring

Local Monitoring of Environmental Resources

1. Tracking water quality in rivers and lakes to identify pollution sources.
2. Measuring air pollution levels in cities using low-cost sensors.
3. Observing deforestation and land-use changes with community-driven mapping projects.

Global Climate Change Research

1. NASA’s GLOBE Program: Volunteers collect climate and weather data, helping scientists analyze global climate patterns.
2. iNaturalist & eBird: Users record biodiversity data, helping track species migration and population changes.
3. Plastic pollution tracking: Groups like The Ocean Cleanup use public reports to map plastic waste hotspots in oceans.

Impact of Citizen Science on Sustainability

1. Enhances Scientific Research: Provides large-scale, real-time data that scientists alone cannot collect.
2. Empowers Communities: Helps locals understand and address environmental issues in their regions.
3. Influences Policy & Action: Governments use citizen data to implement climate action, pollution control, and conservation measures.

Local Relevance and Global Impact

1. Local Scale: Engages communities in observing and protecting their own ecosystems, such as monitoring water quality in nearby rivers.
2. Global Scale: Contributes to international environmental databases used in research on climate change, deforestation, and biodiversity.

Integration with Scientific Research

1. Citizen science complements professional research by broadening data coverage and providing long-term monitoring.
2. Projects often combine professional expertise (for analysis and validation) with citizen participation (for widespread observation).
3. This collaboration enhances both the accuracy and the relevance of environmental data.

Crowdsourcing and Technology

1. Advances in technology (smartphones, GPS, sensors) have revolutionized citizen science.
2. Crowdsourcing platforms allow participants to upload:
   1. Photos of species or habitats
   2. Local pollution readings
   3. Weather observations
   4. Water pH or temperature data
3. Common platforms include iNaturalist, eBird, and Zooniverse.

Advantages and Limitations of Citizen Science

Advantages

1. Increases environmental awareness and community engagement.
2. Provides cost-effective large-scale monitoring.
3. Strengthens the link between science and society.

Limitations

1. Data quality may vary due to:
   1. Lack of training
   2. Different equipment or methods
2. Requires verification and quality control by scientists.