A Citizen Science Approach: A Detailed Ecological Assessment of Subtropical Reefs at Point Lookout, Australia

Abstract

Subtropical reefs provide an important habitat for flora and fauna, and proper monitoring is required for conservation. Monitoring these exposed and submerged reefs is challenging and available resources are limited. Citizen science is increasing in momentum, as an applied research tool and in the variety of monitoring approaches adopted. This paper aims to demonstrate an ecological assessment and mapping approach that incorporates both top-down (volunteer marine scientists) and bottom-up (divers/community) engagement aspects of citizen science, applied at a subtropical reef at Point Lookout, Southeast Queensland, Australia. Marine scientists trained fifty citizen scientists in survey techniques that included mapping of habitat features, recording of substrate, fish and invertebrate composition, and quantifying impacts (e.g., occurrence of substrate damage, presence of litter). In 2014 these volunteers conducted four seasonal surveys along semi-permanent transects, at five sites, across three reefs. The project presented is a model on how citizen science can be conducted in a marine environment through collaboration of volunteer researchers, non-researchers and local marine authorities. Significant differences in coral and algal cover were observed among the three sites, while fluctuations in algal cover were also observed seasonally. Differences in fish assemblages were apparent among sites and seasons, with subtropical fish groups observed more commonly in colder seasons. The least physical damage occurred in the most exposed sites (Flat Rock) within the highly protected marine park zones. The broad range of data collected through this top-down/bottom-up approach to citizen science exemplifies the projects’ value and application for identifying ecosystem trends or patterns. The results of the project support natural resource and marine park management, providing a valuable contribution to existing scientific knowledge and the conservation of local reefs.

eOceans dive-logs for science and conservation: a case study of sharks in Thailand

“…Here, we use these reports to describe spatial and temporal patterns of surveyor effort and shark populations in Thailand. These findings demonstrate the immense potential of eOceans as a community driven (i.e., bottom-up, see Roelfsema et al, 2016) marine citizen science project, for providing relatively high-resolution temporal information at the site and regional scale. They may also assist species-specific or region-specific biologists and ecologists, as well as managers and policy makers to prioritize scientific investigations and conservation strategies of sharks in Thailand.…”

Interdisciplinary knowledge exchange across scales in a globally changing marine environment

“…Community engagement and citizen science in marine science can also assist in overcoming bias and facilitating trust between stakeholders that encourage societal support for marine ecosystem services at risk from global change (Table ). Mobilisation of community volunteers in citizen science programmes could provide an extensive workforce for the collection of marine climate change data on greater spatial and temporal scales than otherwise achievable (Asogwa, Ekele, & Lan, ; Cooper, Shirk, & Zuckerberg, ; Roelfsema et al., ). Citizen science also plays a foundational role in educating community members on the impacts of climate change on ecosystem values in marine systems (van Putten et al., ).…”

Citizen scientists highlight conservation value of a small subtropical reef, Flinders Reef, southeast Queensland, Australia

“…As sea surface temperatures increase, subtropical reefs are commonly promoted as potential refuges for the conservation of tropical reef species moving poleward under future climate change scenarios [10,12-14]. Despite the ecological value of subtropical reefs now and into the future, they typically receive less attention and are understudied compared to tropical reefs, which are highly recognised for their high biodiversity and importance to tourism [12,15].…”

“…To understand the potential impacts of ever-increasing pressures on coral communities in this region and deliver management strategies to ensure their longevity, the collection of long-term ecological monitoring data is essential [17]. Unfortunately, many subtropical reefs have limited long-term monitoring programs in place [15].…”

“…Citizen science programs that engage the community in data collection, analyses and reporting can provide scientific data to monitor changes and contribute to the development of effective environmental management strategies [15,18-20]. Global citizen science organisations such as Reef Check (http://www.reefcheck.org) and CoralWatch (https://www.coralwatch.org) empower citizens to carry out visual surveys of coral health, benthic habitat composition, anthropogenic impacts and invertebrate and fish biodiversity on coral reefs.…”