Applied citizen science in freshwater research

Abstract

Worldwide, scientists are increasingly collaborating with the general public. Citizen science methods are readily applicable to freshwater research, monitoring, and education. In addition to providing cost-effective data on spatial and temporal scales that are otherwise unattainable, citizen science provides unique opportunities for engagement with local communities and stakeholders in resource management and decision-making. However, these methods are not infallible. Citizen science projects require deliberate planning in order to collect high data quality and sustain meaningful community partnerships. Citizen science practitioners also have an ethical responsibility to ensure that projects are not putting the safety of participants at stake. We discuss here how citizen science is being applied in freshwater research, emerging challenges in project planning and implementation, as well as how citizen science is shaping public understanding, policy, and management of freshwaters.

A freshwater perspective on the United Nations decade for ecosystem restoration

“…Building a global movement for freshwater restoration is sorely needed but it also must be grounded at a regional and local scale. Most restoration work occurs in a very local manner by on-the-ground practitioners (Bernhardt et al, 2007) working with partners such as community groups and youth (e.g., through schools; Metcalfe et al, 2022). Connecting individuals to a broader community of like-minded individuals and organizations around the globe could help to inspire and elevate freshwater restoration efforts.…”

‘Many eyes on the water’: The role of citizen science in freshwater conservation

“…Citizen science has a valuable role to play in monitoring the diverse aquatic fauna and flora in a variety of environments, providing important data for species of conservation concern (Metcalfe et al, 2022) and, as discussed, for water quality in some cases (Huddart et al, 2016). However, observations are often biased towards more visible or charismatic species (e.g.…”

“…Citizen science thereby complements the monitoring conducted by UK environment agencies because it is conducted more frequently (monthly) and at a finer spatial scale (but at a broader taxonomic scale; Huddart et al, 2016). Through this activity, the status of aquatic insects, especially those of conservation concern, is continuously assessed and pollution events that may not be detected Another interesting project for which citizen science has been used to monitor aquatic insects was conducted in the Grand Canyon, USA (Metcalfe et al, 2022). The construction of Glen Canyon Dam (1956)(1957)(1958)(1959)(1960)(1961)(1962)(1963)(1964)(1965)(1966) has altered the abiotic (temperature, hydrology) and biotic (food webs, aquatic macroinvertebrates) characteristics of the Colorado River.…”

“…As illustrated by the previous examples, the observations of citizen scientists can produce valuable data to monitor freshwater restoration sites and aquatic species, which can be used in the spatial planning process. This encourages public participation and helps in understanding what actions should be implemented for species management or those that have been successful or should be EDITORIAL improved in restoration and planning processes (Huddart et al, 2016;Lennox et al, 2022;Metcalfe et al, 2022). Data collected by volunteers can influence local decision making and national policy, as has been shown for the data provided by FreshWater Watch in the UK, Brazil, and China (EarthWatch, 2022), and the role of citizen science is becoming more recognized in political agendas for conservation and evidence-based policy making (Guimarães Pereira et al, 2020).…”

“…As stressed by Metcalfe et al (2022), citizen science in freshwater environments can be a useful tool for monitoring, research, and education, with implications for management actions and policy to conserve these ecosystems. Citizens can monitor several aspects of the environment, and studies have shown that efforts have been made to involve different stakeholders, even if these efforts have been unevenly distributed across time and around the world.…”