Plataforma ciencia cidada invasoras.pt

Brussels | February 8th 2017 | Citizen Science and Open Data: a model for IAS in Europe | invasoras.pt 1
The experience of
Elizabete Marchante
Centre for Functional Ecology |University of Coimbra
emarchante@uc.pt

Citizen-science platform – mapping of
invasive plants in Portugal
More info: Marchante et al. in press. Using a WebMapping platform to engage volunteers to collect
data on invasive plants distribution. Transactions in GIS. doi: 10.1111/tgis.12198

Online since March 2013
Main objectives:
• Promote engagement and participation of Portuguese citizens in
the mapping of invasive plants in Portugal
• Open the way for an early-detection & rapid response program
for alien plants
• Make available invasive plant data for researchers,
environmental managers, citizens, etc. – Google Fusion Table and
GBIF database.
Citizen-science platform

1. Users register on the website database
How does it work?

2. Report sightings of invasive plants in Portugal:
1. on the website – PDF file for registration
How does it work?

2. app for Android (smartphones and tablets)
How does it work?

2. app for Android (smartphones and tablets)
3. Project team validates sightings
4. Sightings visible on the online map
How does it work?

The online map is supported by:
- www.invasoras.pt (renewed since March 2013)
• species profiles
• ID key for Acacia spp.
- identification guide
• printed
• online
How does it work?

• Website (static info and new posts regularly)
How do we engage citizens?

• Facebook (connected to website, YouTube, Twitter, Instagram, Slideshare)

• Online campaigns when some plants are more showy

• Workshops of ID and mapping (control) of invasive plants
• National newspaper(2013): Jornal de Notícias – 12 weekly articles
about invasive plants + 8 page final supplement
• Newsletter
• YouTube: videos of control methods, interviews with experts, case studies,
etc.
• Talks, training courses, camps of scientific work, etc.

• Newsletter
etc.

• Newsletter

• Newsletter
etc.

How is it working (1)?
March 2013 to December 2016
Number of validated sightings: 11247
Number of registered/active users: 1795/395 (22%)

How is it working (2)?
*offline period due to server issues; --- public awareness
campaigns (acacias & Pampas grass)
Site pageviews: 722.198 (20.261 to the map)
0
20
40
60
80
100
120
140
160
180
Numberofcontributors
Number of sightings
Validated sightings
0
100
200
300
400
500
600
700
800
900
mar-13
mai-13
jul-13
set-13
nov-13
jan-14
mar-14
mai-14
jul-14
set-14*
…
fev-15
abr-15
jun-15
ago-15
out-15
dez-15
fev-16
abr-16
jun-16
ago-16
out-16
dez-16
numberofsightings
Validated sightings
78 - 21 - 1
(90 - 9 - 1)

September 2011 – December 2013 (opportunity! dedicated funding)
Media-Science project, including:
• 2 full time research fellows
• From scientific areas and social communication
Who is behind the project?

September 2011 – December 2013 (opportunity! dedicated funding)
Media-Science project, including:
• 2 full time research fellows
• From scientific areas and social communication
Entities:
Funding (aprox. 76.000€):
After 2013 (big challenge)
• Some team members (pro bono)
• Research projects INVADER-B and INVADER-IV
Who is behind the project?

Final considerations & challenges
• Portuguese public not traditionally engaged with citizen science
• Very specific theme: not easy to go beyond “converted experts &
stakeholders”, but some approaches are helpful:
• Hands-on activities – easier to engage the public
• Social networks connected with the website
• Multidisciplinary team (scientists and communicators)
• Species unawareness and ID (many species unknown to the public)
• Continuity of funding (several discontinued platforms)
• “Competition” (many apps, many environmental causes,…)
• Data used by scientists (+) & managers (-)
• At least 5 academic works| 1871 downloads from GBIF | Google Fusion
(CSV)?

Final considerations & challenges
• Data quality?
• Species ID: > 95% sightings are validated  bias towards “experts”
• Ca. ½ App Android (GPS and 6% network) + ½ online Invasoras.pt
• Bias towards accessible areas
• Bias towards showy /easy ID species (trees and shrubs; known species)
• Some species difficult to ID – only genera level
• Future?
• Improve users contribution (many do not contribute)
• More Workshops / invasoras.pt tools to improve data quality & ↓ biases
• Alert species  early detection!
• More invasive species
• Other operating systems (iOS or other – under development)

THANK YOU!
More info: invasoras.pt
https://www.facebook.com/InvasorasPt
emarchante@uc.pt

Plataforma ciencia cidada invasoras.pt

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