INNOVATIONS Using eBird to Integrate Citizen Science Into an Undergraduate Ecology Field Laboratory Thilina Surasinghe1,2,* and Jason Courter1 1School of Agricultural, Forest and Environmental Sciences, 2Department of Biological Sciences, Clemson University, Clemson, SC 29634 *Corresponding Author: [email protected] Abstract: Encouraging nonprofessionals to participate in ecological research through citizen science programs is a recent innovation and an effective strategy for gathering ecological information across broad geographical areas. In this paper, we demonstrate how reporting field-based observations through eBird, a citizen-based birding and data- recording program, can be used as a lab activity in an undergraduate ecology class. This exercise exposes students to worldwide data collecting networks in which non-scientific communities serve as major stakeholders. This lab activity also introduces basic field techniques in ornithology and allows students to answer inquiry-based research questions using a citizen science database. Key words: citizen science, ecology teaching, eBird, participatory research INTRODUCTION Applications of citizen science in ecological Citizen science provides an opportunity for research and biodiversity conservation members of the general public who do not have Citizen science programs are being used formal scientific training to contribute to scientific extensively in global environmental monitoring (such research (Cooper et al., 2007; Bonney et al., 2009). as climate and water resources) and biodiversity Here, individual volunteers or networks of volunteers monitoring. Such continuous long-term monitoring is perform or manage research-related tasks such as essential to understand the causes and effects of observation, measurement, data compilation and biodiversity loss in order to promote conservation simple computation. The spatial scale of citizen efforts and curb species declines. Many citizen-based science can be local, regional, national or global biodiversity monitoring programs assess the survival (Devictor et al., 2010). Citizen science programs are and reproductive success of wildlife (Lepczyk, 2005; a venue for professional scientists to interact with Ries & Mullen, 2007) with many of these programs non-scientific people who are interested in scientific focusing on wildlife phenology (e.g., migration of aspects of nature. Furthermore, such programs allow birds, budburst in trees, or flowering of plants). Such the public to contribute to scientific research investigations are important in assessing the effects programs and to be an important stakeholder in of global warming and global climate change on scientific research studies (Schmeller, 2008). Such ecosystems and biodiversity in different geographic programs are an active and effective means of areas (Lawrence, 2009; Mayer, 2010). Citizen communication between professionals and laypeople, science networks allow scientists to achieve research where scientific information is disseminated through objectives more feasibly and cost-effectively than educating the public and making them aware of would otherwise be possible. For instance, employing scientific issues (Losey et al., 2007). well-trained professional scientists or skilled During the past few decades, citizen science technicians to perform every step of a research programs have evolved to have more emphasis on project could be economically unfeasible and scientifically sound practices and measurable goals recruiting an accomplished task force, practically for public education (Silvertown, 2009). Recent impossible (Ottinger, 2010). technologies, particularly the internet, have allowed In addition to long-term monitoring, citizen citizen science data to be collected and accessed more science is also being used as a means of public efficiently. Moreover, increasing prevalence and use education and outreach to promote the science-based of user-friendly electronic devices that can record awareness of natural resources and wildlife (Jordan et information, such as mobile phones, data loggers, al., 2009). Citizen science projects often generate personal digital assistants, and high resolution digital enthusiasm among the general public and encourage still and video cameras, have made data collection the younger generation to be engaged in scientific easy for the participants of citizen science programs research (Nerbonne & Nelson, 2008). Some (Sanford & Rose, 2007). programs may even provide extra benefits to the 16 Volume 38(2) December 2012 Surasinghe and Courter community, such as the provision of specific general public about nesting biology. Website: materials specifically for use by primary or secondary http://watch.birds.cornell.edu/nest/home/index school students. As such, citizen science is one form Monarch Watch: An educational outreach of informal science education. To encompass all program run by the University of Kansas that these multilateral aspects of citizen science, this field monitors the abundance, habitat use and migration of is now frequently referred to as “participatory the Monarch butterfly. The Monarch Watch website scientific research” (Raymond et al., 2010). provides detailed information on the biology and Limitations of citizen science programs conservation of Monarch butterflies. This project Data collection in a citizen science program is involves capturing Monarch butterflies during the performed by laypeople who may not have strong migratory season, tagging them, and attempting to scientific backgrounds, training in field survey recover the tags or to recapture tagged butterflies. methods, or strong species identification skills. The tagging program provides a great deal of Therefore, there could be multiple errors in citizen information regarding Monarchs, their migration, and science based datasets including species geographical range (Wells, 2010). misidentifications as well as bias with regard to the Website: http://monarchwatch.org/ independence of sampling events in time and space Journey North: An internet-based citizen science (Wagle, 2000). Moreover, complicated sampling database that tracks annual biological events, methods and high-tech equipment that require special particularly how seasonality and climate change training cannot be used in citizen science programs. affect wildlife migration and ecosystem dynamics. Similarly, citizen science programs are often only Through field observations, participants record the effective in monitoring charismatic species that are migration patterns of wildlife in response to easily identified by laypeople and are not suitable to seasonality. Species of interest include Monarch study taxonomically and ecologically cryptic species butterflies, robins, hummingbirds, whooping cranes, that require specialized skill for identification gray whales, and bald eagles, along with other birds, (Bonney et al., 2009). At times, sampling effort is animals, and plants. Using the nationwide data inconsistent in citizen science programs and may generated by participants, migration maps can be vary within or between years (Ottinger, 2010). generated. Website: www.learner.org/jnorth Furthermore, high inter-observer variability may THE ACTIVITY exist among participants depending on their experience and science-based training. Therefore, it Background information should be noted that data generated by citizen science One of the largest and fastest growing global programs need to be handled and interpreted biodiversity data resources available is eBird. eBird carefully. is a real-time, online, freely-accessible, citizen science program coordinated by the Cornell Lab of Examples of citizen science projects Ornithology and the National Audubon Society Following are examples of citizen science (http://ebird.org/content/ebird). Launched in 2002, programs that have been used extensively in wildlife eBird has evolved a long way to enhance public and environmental research that students can explore participation, improve data validity, and widen data before conducting this lab activity. We recommend access to the research community. eBird is a rich that lab instructors provide a brief introduction about database for bird abundance and distribution data on other citizen science programs before the field a variety of spatial and temporal scales. One strength activity. of eBird is that it utilizes data collected by both Christmas Bird Count: A citizen science program professional and recreational bird watchers to implemented by the Audubon Society. This program generate enormous amounts of data. aims to capture a snapshot of bird populations over eBird compiles bird sightings and abundance many decades and to provide insight on the dynamics data from an international network of users and of bird populations across North America during the makes them available to the global community of early winter. Volunteers gather information on birds educators, ecologists, land managers, landscape over a three-week period at the turn of the year biologists, ornithologists, and conservation biologists. (December-January), and submit their observations to These data are currently being used in scientific a review panel. Afterward, cumulative data are made analyses of global bird distribution and abundance available to the public and researchers for review and (http://ebird.org/content/ebird/about/ebird- scientific study. Website: www.audubon.org/bird/cbc publications). Utilizing a user-friendly and intuitive NestWatch: A nest-monitoring