Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1038/s41598-022-15218-2
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Decision-making of citizen scientists when recording species observations
Author Bowler, D.E.; Bhandari, N.; Repke, L.; Beuthner, C.; Callaghan, C.T.; Eichenberg, D.; Henle, K.; Klenke, R.; Richter, A.; Jansen, F.; Bruelheide, H.; Bonn, A. ORCID logo
Source Titel Scientific Reports
Year 2022
Department NSF; iDiv; ESS
Volume 12
Page From art. 11069
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
Supplements https://static-content.springer.com/esm/art%3A10.1038%2Fs41598-022-15218-2/MediaObjects/41598_2022_15218_MOESM1_ESM.docx
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Abstract Citizen scientists play an increasingly important role in biodiversity monitoring. Most of the data, however, are unstructured—collected by diverse methods that are not documented with the data. Insufficient understanding of the data collection processes presents a major barrier to the use of citizen science data in biodiversity research. We developed a questionnaire to ask citizen scientists about their decision-making before, during and after collecting and reporting species observations, using Germany as a case study. We quantified the greatest sources of variability among respondents and assessed whether motivations and experience related to any aspect of data collection. Our questionnaire was answered by almost 900 people, with varying taxonomic foci and expertise. Respondents were most often motivated by improving species knowledge and supporting conservation, but there were no linkages between motivations and data collection methods. By contrast, variables related to experience and knowledge, such as membership of a natural history society, were linked with a greater propensity to conduct planned searches, during which typically all species were reported. Our findings have implications for how citizen science data are analysed in statistical models; highlight the importance of natural history societies and provide pointers to where citizen science projects might be further developed.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=26305
Bowler, D.E., Bhandari, N., Repke, L., Beuthner, C., Callaghan, C.T., Eichenberg, D., Henle, K., Klenke, R., Richter, A., Jansen, F., Bruelheide, H., Bonn, A. (2022):
Decision-making of citizen scientists when recording species observations
Sci. Rep. 12 , art. 11069 10.1038/s41598-022-15218-2