Emerging technologies in citizen science and potential for insect monitoring

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B Biological Sciences, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 379(1904)

Published: May 5, 2024

Emerging technologies are increasingly employed in environmental citizen science projects. This integration offers benefits and opportunities for scientists participants alike. Citizen can support large-scale, long-term monitoring of species occurrences, behaviour interactions. At the same time, foster participant engagement, regardless pre-existing taxonomic expertise or experience, permit new types data to be collected. Yet, may also create challenges by potentially increasing financial costs, necessitating technological demanding training participants. Technology could reduce people's direct involvement engagement with nature. In this perspective, we discuss how current have spurred an increase projects implementation emerging enhance scientific impact public engagement. We show technology act as (i) a facilitator efforts, (ii) enabler research opportunities, (iii) transformer science, policy participation, but become (iv) inhibitor equity rigour. is developing fast promises provide many exciting insect monitoring, while seize these must remain vigilant against potential risks. article part theme issue ‘Towards toolkit global biodiversity monitoring’.

Language: Английский

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Insect ecology and conservation in urban areas: An overview of knowledge and needs

Insect Conservation and Diversity, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 17(2), P. 169 - 181

Published: March 1, 2024

Abstract Urban expansion across the globe profoundly impacts local biodiversity. The growing body of urban ecology research on animals has largely focused mammals and birds, whereas knowledge insect conservation in areas remains limited. To anchor this Special Issue (SI), we have taken a broad approach to editorial conducted structured literature search set scene. We provide here an overview existing reviews conservation, indicate where articles included SI contribute developing our understanding point priority for further investigation. Key themes (at individual, species, and/or community level) include influence habitat quality, quantity land use type diversity; anthropogenic pollution (for instance, heat, noise, light chemicals); connectivity changes structure density genetic diversity. Insect diversity abundance broadly decline with loss habitat. Beyond this, variation responses different taxa, or regions, methodological limitations individual studies make it challenging identify general patterns. environments should focus applying ecological theory understand patterns; investigating interactions between climate change contexts; identifying novel biodiversity; addressing harmonising approaches; exploring social historical factors must also consider into how best communicate value insects humans.

Language: Английский

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How much information is there in arthropod data about the landscape around sampling sites? Exploring a theory based on site-specificity of organisms

Ecological Informatics, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 81, P. 102645 - 102645

Published: May 17, 2024

The importance of local versus landscape drivers biodiversity is presently intensely discussed, which raises the question what information ecological sampling can provide about relative these factors and how amount distributed over different spatial scales. Here, we have tried to assess in sets arthropod samples on four characteristics, i.e., percentage arable land, semi-natural area, urban edge density, at scales varying from 100 m 3000 around sample sites. A large, existing dataset studies all Europe was used for that. Random Forests were predicting characteristic classes surrounding area. accuracy predictions, calculated as reversed Normalized Brier score, measure information. results showed that, least Europe, between density one hand, area other hand. In case decreased 250 site, then increased get a hump-shape m, with maximum 1750 m. three 1000 stayed equal or slightly increased. These could be explained by assuming that organisms present site are either site-specific, non-site-specific. Site-specific thought enable predictions characteristics small scales, while non-site-specific indicate larger implied study designs, it important aware type processes result presence species For effective conservation measures arthropods, landscapes scale 9.6 km2 should taken consideration Europe.

Language: Английский

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Innovative Foraging Behavior of Urban Birds: Use of Insect Food Provided by Cars

Birds, Journal Year: 2024, Volume and Issue: 5(3), P. 469 - 486

Published: Aug. 10, 2024

Despite high-quality insect food being often restricted in cities, insects are important for the development of birds. Nonetheless, plenty smashed on cars, and they available those species that able to use them. We used both our own data community science Internet sources surveying global, national, local about birds using cars. Our results contained a total 308 observations collecting car panels, which indicated 39 this resource since 1928 33 countries. Most considered House Sparrow, followed by White Wagtail several corvids. European urban bird observed cars had larger residual brain size. There was also some indication number innovations (i.e., production novel behaviors), greater diet generalism, longer times living urbanized areas than not Often these resident offered feeding sites. assume more will future, as populations continue decline, thereby increasingly become

Language: Английский

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