Herbarium collections remain essential in the age of community science

Nature Communications, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 15(1)

Опубликована: Авг. 31, 2024

The past decade has yielded more biodiversity observations from community science than the century of traditional scientific collection. This rapid influx data is promising for overcoming critical shortfalls, but we also have vast untapped resources held in undigitized natural history collections. Yet, ability these collections to fill gaps, especially compared against constant accumulation data, remains unclear. Here, compare how well (iNaturalist) and digitized herbarium specimens represent diversity, distributions, modeling needs vascular plants Canada. We find that, despite having only a third as many records, capture taxonomic, phylogenetic, functional diversity efficiently species' environmental niches. As such, digitization Canada's 7.3M remaining potential quintuple our model biodiversity. In contrast, it would require over 27M iNaturalist produce similar benefits. Our findings indicate that digitizing Earth's likely an efficient, feasible, potentially investment when comes improving predict protect into future. authors found specimens, finding with one-third herbaria still by several metrics.

Язык: Английский

---

Habitat use and distribution of nile monitors (Varanus niloticus) in a mosaic of land use types and human population densities in KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa

Landscape Ecology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 40(1)

Опубликована: Янв. 9, 2025

Язык: Английский

---

Moving north under the eye of the public: the dispersal ecology of the Nosferatu spider, documented by citizen scientists

Basic and Applied Ecology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Фев. 1, 2025

Язык: Английский

---

Syrphids in the City: A 10‐Year Citizen Science Program Sheds Light on How the Greenness and Quality of Green Spaces Impact Flower Flies

Journal of Applied Entomology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Фев. 27, 2025

ABSTRACT Although Syrphidae is an essential family of flies because they provide key ecosystem services like pollination and pest control, their richness abundance respond negatively to urbanisation, even when high‐quality green spaces are present. These the conclusions many studies from northern hemisphere; however, there shortfalls in our knowledge flower fly ecology Neotropical megacities. We used a 10‐year dataset obtained long‐term citizen science program devoted test whether richness, total number records (as proxy abundance) diversity could be influenced by space predictors such as surface percentage areas, quality public squares parks indices greenness index (NDVI) across 34 municipalities Greater Santiago. Furthermore, we described for first time interaction network exclusively within city. analysed 1084 607 interactions 29 species. found that north‐east have more Based on abundance, two‐way Jaccard analysis grouped into three major clades: (a) those with than 10 species, (b) between five species (c) fewer Generalised linear mixed models associated positively significantly diversity, mainly mean NDVI value. The structure plant showed low values connectance specialisation, but significant value diversity. information help local decision‐makers improve management municipality's spaces, enhance biodiversity inside cities potential or control.

Язык: Английский

---

A Method for Conveying Confidence in iNaturalist Observations: A Case Study Using Non‐Native Marine Species

Ecology and Evolution, Год журнала: 2024, Номер 14(10)

Опубликована: Окт. 1, 2024

Concerns and limitations relating to data quality, reliability accuracy hamper the use of citizen science initiatives in research conservation. Valued for their cost-effective large acquisition potential, platforms such as iNaturalist have been highlighted beneficial tools supplement monitoring using traditional sources. However, intrinsic uncertainties unverified observations stem from nature species being identified, quality uploaded media georeferencing; these factors can limit value they result inaccurate records. Verification prior is critical. This process can, however, be laborious time-consuming, with bias associated individual responsible task. To address this challenge study developed a protocol assigning confidence observations, marine alien cryptogenic South Africa case study. A positive relationship was found between score. The inherent assessment iNaturalist, termed grade, an inadequate proxy accuracy. results highlight importance expert verification phase when data. score facilitates streamlined approach by reducing time taken validate records, while assessing three levels uncertainty within researcher bias. It recommended that used essential tool derived

Язык: Английский

---

Crowdsourced Indicators of Flora and Fauna Species: Comparisons Between iNaturalist Records and Field Observations

Land, Год журнала: 2025, Номер 14(1), С. 169 - 169

Опубликована: Янв. 15, 2025

Cultural ecosystem services provide intangible benefits such as recreation and aesthetic enjoyment but are difficult to quantify compared provisioning or regulating services. Recent technologies offer alternative indicators, social media data, identify popular locations their features. This study demonstrates how large volumes of citizen science data can be analyzed reveal patterns human interactions with nature through unconventional, scalable methods. By applying spatial statistical methods, from the platform iNaturalist ground-truth visitation data. To minimize bias, records grouped by taxonomic information applied metropolitan area Seoul, South Korea (2005–2022). The included in were investigated using a standard global biodiversity database. results show effectively public preferences for scenic locations, offering novel approach mapping cultural when traditional unavailable. method highlights potential large-scale citizen-generated conservation, urban planning, policy development. However, challenges like bias user-generated content, uneven coverage, over- under-representation remain. Addressing these issues integrating additional metadata—such time visit, demographics, seasonal trends—could deeper insights into human–nature interactions. Overall, proposed opens up new possibilities non-traditional sources assess map services, providing valuable conservation efforts, environmental

Язык: Английский

---

Harnessing artificial intelligence to fill global shortfalls in biodiversity knowledge

Опубликована: Фев. 20, 2025

Язык: Английский

---

Towards a comprehensive geodiversity - Biodiversity nexus in terrestrial ecosystems

Earth-Science Reviews, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown, С. 105075 - 105075

Опубликована: Фев. 1, 2025

Язык: Английский

---

Integrating data to assess occupancy patterns of an endangered bumble bee

Conservation Biology, Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Фев. 25, 2025

Abstract There is growing interest in integrating community science data with structured monitoring to estimate changes distribution patterns of imperiled species, including pollinators. However, significant challenges remain determining how unstructured should be incorporated into formal analyses species distributions. We developed a dynamic framework for combining and bumble bees occupancy rusty‐patched ( Bombus affinis ), federally endangered the United States. applied traditional metapopulation theory accounted imperfect detection site‐specific extirpation risk colonization rates across known B. Upper Midwest (USA). Despite 144% increase presence‐only detections from 2017 2022, probabilities estimated number occupied sites remained static or declined slightly 4‐state region during this period. Our results provide preliminary evidence that probability local increased response drought, but effect was tempered high neighboring patches by (i.e., rescue effect). can used managers track population recovery goals other conservation concern. In addition, our study highlights importance accounting addressing spatial sampling biases bee efforts, particularly those which portion are generated projects.

Язык: Английский

---

Powerful flowers: Public perception of grassland aesthetics is strongly related to management and biodiversity

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Год журнала: 2025, Номер unknown

Опубликована: Фев. 28, 2025

Abstract Temperate grasslands provide various cultural ecosystem services that are appreciated in diverse ways. Capturing these appreciations requires different methodological approaches, such as questionnaire surveys and social media analyses. In this study, we combined the potential of both approaches to capture two aspects what people appreciate agricultural grasslands, i.e., aesthetic quality differently managed plant communities objects frequently found grassland-based images. The complementary showed preferred colourful flower- species-rich over grass-dominated fertilised swards. Social analysis highlighted mainly photographed flowers, followed by livestock and/or wildlife, but depended also on platform used. conclusion, people’s appreciation was clearly related intensity grassland management level biodiversity, with a preference for extensively flowers wildlife. Yet, significant differences between (i) conservationists professionals communities, (ii) common visitors naturalists their content. Our results suggest extensive ecological restoration can be used increase enhancing richness forbs, other attractive Thus, targeted is necessary maintain enhance attractiveness landscapes subsequently health benefits associated human-nature contacts.

Язык: Английский

---