TY - JOUR
T1 - Amateurs can be experts
T2 - A new perspective on collaborations with citizen scientists
AU - Viola, Benjamin M.
AU - Sorrell, Karina J.
AU - Clarke, Rohan H.
AU - Corney, Stuart P.
AU - Vaughan, Peter M.
N1 - Funding Information:
We thank Mike Carter, Paul Brooks, Paul Walbridge, George Swann, Kevin Bartram and the many other expert amateur seabirders from whom we have learnt so much. The authors would also like to thank Gretta Pecl, and Rachel Kelly for their feedback and guidance on early drafts of this manuscript. We also thank two anonymous reviewers for their feedback, and the editorial team for their time in finding reviewers and facilitating the peer review process. This project did not receive any specific grant from funding agencies in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Publisher Copyright:
© 2022 Elsevier Ltd
PY - 2022/10
Y1 - 2022/10
N2 - Observations made by citizen-scientists are highly regarded in many fields of biology. Public participation in research leads to increased environmental stewardship, greater data-acquisition, and multi-disciplinary advances. However, to date, there is a paucity of literature that acknowledges the professional benefits we, as scientists, gain through open consultation and two-way collaboration with interested parties. Citizen scientists often have specialised interests in particular taxa or habitats. They spend much time observing their subjects/s of interest, becoming accustomed to subtle nuances in appearance, behaviour, or dynamics that are challenging to detect without a high level of familiarity. In a world where professional researchers must increasingly balance competing demands on their time, and demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of their research, we stand to benefit by acknowledging the specific expertise of amateurs and the value their experience brings to observations. We use marine ornithology as an exemplar of this discussion – reasoning that data quality can be greatly improved by collaboration with expert amateurs, concomitantly improving the outcomes from research for conservation and management. We encourage researchers surveying wildlife, plant life, and other organisms to consider where their information and skills may come from, and close the loop between citizens and science to make the most of what amateur naturalism has to offer.
AB - Observations made by citizen-scientists are highly regarded in many fields of biology. Public participation in research leads to increased environmental stewardship, greater data-acquisition, and multi-disciplinary advances. However, to date, there is a paucity of literature that acknowledges the professional benefits we, as scientists, gain through open consultation and two-way collaboration with interested parties. Citizen scientists often have specialised interests in particular taxa or habitats. They spend much time observing their subjects/s of interest, becoming accustomed to subtle nuances in appearance, behaviour, or dynamics that are challenging to detect without a high level of familiarity. In a world where professional researchers must increasingly balance competing demands on their time, and demonstrate the cost-effectiveness of their research, we stand to benefit by acknowledging the specific expertise of amateurs and the value their experience brings to observations. We use marine ornithology as an exemplar of this discussion – reasoning that data quality can be greatly improved by collaboration with expert amateurs, concomitantly improving the outcomes from research for conservation and management. We encourage researchers surveying wildlife, plant life, and other organisms to consider where their information and skills may come from, and close the loop between citizens and science to make the most of what amateur naturalism has to offer.
KW - Marine ornithology
KW - Natural history
KW - Observations
KW - Research
KW - Seabirds
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85138200721&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109739
DO - 10.1016/j.biocon.2022.109739
M3 - Short Survey
AN - SCOPUS:85138200721
SN - 0006-3207
VL - 274
JO - Biological Conservation
JF - Biological Conservation
M1 - 109739
ER -