From Remote Coral Reefs to Your Sofa, Citizen Science Spreads Everywhere

Whether diving off a private yacht in a remote latitude or having a quiet night in at home, citizens of the planet are contributing to the scientific study of climate change through extraordinary and also mundane ways. Citizen science — which involves crowdsourcing data for scientific research — got a boost during the early days of coronavirus pandemic lockdowns. As the skies cleared and cities went silent, people started to notice their impact on the world around them.

 Once you’re aware of the fragility of the environment, your next logical step is to do as much as you can to contribute to scientific knowledge, said Jordi Regas, a 51-year-old diver who, in his free time, contributes to marine research in Barcelona. “I don’t feel that what I’m doing will lead to any radical changes, but I do think that each of us can bring in a small contribution.” 

Citizen science has blurred the boundaries that constrained professional science. Traditionally, scientists organize data-gathering campaigns, go back to their labs, analyze the information and publish their conclusions. But millions of citizen contributions from around the world are widening the scope of the research and making it more precise and consistent.

Regàs, who has logged over 1,700 dives, decided to join Barcelona’s Institut de Ciències del Mar Observadores del Mar program in 2016, almost as soon as it launched. After all, he is president of the Universitat de Barcelona’s Biology Faculty diving club, which counts many of the scientists behind the project as members. 

Now, his pictures of seaweed, soft corals, fish and even marine litter allow scientists at the institute to track the health of the Mediterranean flora and fauna, as well as to get alerts on the presence of invasive species. Amateur divers know the spots inside out and often are emotionally attached to the environment, so they notice changes before anyone else, he said. Data generated by citizens is as reliable as information gathered by professional scientists, according to a paper published in May in Citizen Science: Theory and Practice. The study compared data gathered by amateurs and professionals during a campaign to measure algal coverage on rocky shores in the UK. Still, the paper recommend that when performing complex tasks, citizens should be trained, given clear instructions and the right equipment. 

Serious projects need to have at least one scientist involved. Like all other scientific research, they need to ask clear questions, outline the path to getting the answers and set specific goals. Communicating all of this to participants, as well as making the data publicly available after the study is over, helps with engagement, said Scott.

As an expert on seagrass, Scott helped design the Great Reef Census, a program in which divers are asked to upload 20 random photos of Australia’s Great Barrier Reef. The images allow scientists to assess reef health — including coral bleaching and the presence of coral killers like the crown-of-thorns starfish — from touristic spots to the most remote, which can only be accessed on private yachts and research vessels. During the last campaign, citizens submitted over 40,000 photos of about 300 reefs. 

“That’s why scientists are getting more keen on working with people, it means you can scale up your projects,” she said. “It opens a whole new world of possibilities that wouldn’t even be possible with a small team of scientists.”