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Lessons from lady beetles accuracy of monitoring data from US and UK citizen-science programs.pdf (436.01 kB)

Lessons from lady beetles: accuracy of monitoring data from US and UK citizen-science programs

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posted on 2023-07-26, 13:24 authored by Mary M. Gardiner, Leslie L. Allee, Peter M. J. Brown, John E. Losey, Helen E. Roy, Rebecca Rice Smyth
Citizen scientists have the potential to play a crucial role in the study of rapidly changing lady beetle (Coccinellidae) populations. We used data derived from three coccinellid-focused citizen-science programs to examine the costs and benefits of data collection from direct citizen-science (data used without verification) and verified citizen-science (observations verified by trained experts) programs. Data collated through direct citizen science overestimated species richness and diversity values in comparison to verified data, thereby influencing interpretation. The use of citizen scientists to collect data also influenced research costs; our analysis shows that verified citizen science was more cost effective than traditional science (in terms of data gathered per dollar). The ability to collect a greater number of samples through direct citizen science may compensate for reduced accuracy, depending on the type of data collected and the type(s) and extent of errors committed by volunteers.

History

Refereed

  • Yes

Volume

10

Issue number

9

Page range

471-476

Publication title

Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment

ISSN

1540-9309

Publisher

Wiley

File version

  • Published version

Language

  • eng

Legacy posted date

2013-07-18

Legacy creation date

2019-08-22

Legacy Faculty/School/Department

ARCHIVED Faculty of Science & Technology (until September 2018)

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