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Short Abstract

Case study of a citizen science project on seagrass ecosystems off the coasts of Galicia, Spain. The social impact on participants and communities was examined from the perspective of the epistemology and sociology of science, through semi-structured interviews and content analysis.

Abstract

The proposed paper is a case study of a citizen science project on seagrass ecosystems off the coasts of Galicia, Spain. The project was coordinated by oceanographic scientists and environmental educators who worked in conjunction with relevant social groups: high school students, family members, teachers, and fishing communities. The social impact on participants and communities was examined from perspectives of epistemology and sociology of science through semi-structured interviews and content analysis of project products. There was a marked affective impact on young participants regarding their sense of identification with the environment; a significant shift occurred from previous attitudes of indifference to ownership of investigated sites. The intellectual component was more of a vehicle than an end given that the most reported experience was a newfound affection for surrounding environments, while scientific literacy took a secondary role. It was young participants themselves who were responsible for raising awareness amongst adults about the ecological importance of biodiversity on their beaches. At least in one of the sites, community transformation occurred in that relevant social groups decided to conserve and protect a seagrass ecosystem that would otherwise have been dredged. The social function of dialogue and deliberation amongst groups should be emphasized in future experiences; in the case at hand, dialogue occurred only tangentially between groups with different socioeconomic interests (fishermen, shellfish farmers, beach goers), different environmental values (extractivism vs. protectionism vs. seagrass management), and interpretations of necessary actions. Sociological and epistemological approaches are recommended for the difficult task of measuring the intangible.