- Convenor:
-
Gideon Deme Gywa
(University of Turku)
Send message to Convenor
- Discussants:
-
Shawan Chowdhury
(Monash University)
Ricardo Correia (University of Turku)
Herizo Andrianandrasana (Department of Geosciences and Geography, University of Helsinki)
Aletta Bonn (Helmholtz-Centre for Environmental Research-UFZ German Center for integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv))
- Format:
- Roundtable
Short Abstract
This roundtable panel will explore the huge gap and unexplored potential of biodiversity and environment citizen science in megadiverse countries of the Global South, and when working with local communities to empower local voices for improved ecosystem sustainability.
Description
Anthropogenic activities are driving a rapid decline in global biodiversity. This context makes it essential to develop people-friendly, sustainable, transformative approaches to reconnect people to nature if we are to achieve improved evidence-based biodiversity conservation. This is especially important to improve our understanding of the data-deficient regions, such as the tropics, the most biodiverse parts of the world. Citizen science projects have become a key tool to engage communities in biodiversity recording, planning, prioritisation, and action. Despite the enormous potential of citizen science because this approach continually expands across regions, there are specific challenges and opportunities to fully realise its potential. In this roundtable, we bring together several global experts to share insights and discuss opportunities and challenges at the intersection between citizen science and biodiversity conservation. The convenor will open the roundtable panel discussion by exploring citizen science for biodiversity data collection, conservation education and transformative conservation actions using Nigeria as a case study. The roundtable panel will also consider talks on citizen science for conservation planning in using social media biodiversity data, and citizen science stream assessments working with local angling communities. In total, the roundtable panel aims to have three to five short lightning talks. This will enable the roundtable panel to explore effective ways to advance citizen science in these regions, to implement the ambitious Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework 2030 targets.
Accepted contributions
Short Abstract
Citizen science offers new possibilities to address existing biodiversity knowledge shortfalls
Abstract
Biodiversity conservation remains a key challenge in the 21st century. Our current knowledge of biodiversity is limited by several knowledge shortfalls which hamper our capacity to develop success biodiversity conservation efforts. However, citizen science contributions offer several opportunities to address these outstanding knowledge shortfalls. In this talk I will outline the various biodiversity knowledge shortfalls and will offer insights on how citizen science contributions often contain information that can be used to address the various shortfalls.
Short Abstract
Integrating occurrence records from social media can help reduce biodiversity data gaps, enhance mapping of invasive species, and improve conservation assessments.
Abstract
Citizen science plays a crucial role in helping monitor biodiversity and inform conservation. With the widespread use of smartphones, many people share biodiversity information on social media, but this information is still not widely used in conservation. We collated species distribution records from Facebook and Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF), grouped them into GBIF-only and combined GBIF and Facebook data. In my presentation, I will discuss how data integration from Facebook can reduce the biodiversity data shortfall, enhance invasive species distribution, improve the range dynamics of a highly range-shifting butterfly, and improve conservation assessments. These findings underscore the value of integrating social media data to fill biodiversity knowledge gaps, track species redistributions, and support spatial planning under the Kunming–Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework. A key research priority now is the development of mechanisms for extracting and interpreting social media biodiversity data.
Short Abstract
Madagascar, a biodiversity hotspot, faces major conservation challenges. My retrospective evaluation shows that community-based conservation improves education and somewhat reduces fire and forest loss, but does not alleviate poverty. Climate-driven migration further pressures protected areas
Abstract
Madagascar is a global biodiversity hotspot with exceptionally high levels of species richness, threat, and endemism: 90% of its plant species and 85% of its animal species are found nowhere else. My talk will highlight key conservation efforts and share insights from a recent retrospective evaluation of the effectiveness of community-based conservation, a widely adopted approach, on both biodiversity and human well-being. By comparing outcomes between 109 intervention villages and 109 control villages, I showed that the conservation programme run by Durrell Wildlife Madagascar between 2000 and 2014 was effective in improving education, somewhat effective in reducing forest loss and fires, and not effective in enhancing human well-being outcomes. My latest research has examined internal migration in Madagascar driven by poverty and climate change and its environmental consequences on protected areas. Together, these findings underscore the importance of more strongly integrating local community members and environmental associations into data collection and analysis to achieve more sustainable and positive conservation outcomes.
Short Abstract
Citizen science can provide a powerful tool to engage in learning about and connecting to nature, and in megadiverse countries of the Global South it may be the only source of biodiversity data. It can thereby also engender social licence and collective action for conservation.
Abstract
Motivation for the roundtable: Citizen science can provide a powerful tool to engage in learning about and connecting to nature, and in megadiverse countries of the Global South it may be the only source of biodiversity data. It can thereby also engender social licence and collective action for conservation.
Relating to our FLOW - freshwater monitoring project with the German angling association, I would like to discuss how citizen science can serve as an important means to connect to local communities and stewards of natural habitats (e.g. anglers), and empower local people to create the evidence for informed conservation planning and management. In addition citizen science can shape learning about biodiversity and ecosystems and drivers of change, and in this way also a sense of ownership and collective efficacy for conservation. Especially in megadiverse countries citizen science may thereby form transformative means towards biodiversity conservation.