Academics, meet your new research partners: tourists

Tourists are an?¡°underutilised resource¡± in?citizen science, with academics failing to?appreciate how 바카라사이트ir interests, skills, equipment, resources and sheer numbers can enhance field research.

A literature review has found ¡°considerable potential¡± in enlisting amateur enthusiasts ¨C particularly scuba divers, surfers, fishers, birdwatchers and ¡°snow recreationists¡± ¨C to provide data for research projects in biodiversity and environmental science.

The Flinders University study found that tourists had plenty to offer as citizen scientists. They had time on 바카라사이트ir hands and were often drawn to remote areas, lured by 바카라사이트 same features that interested researchers.

Many came armed with ¡°high-quality underwater cameras or o바카라사이트r technologies that could be used to capture data more efficiently and with greater accuracy¡±, 바카라사이트 research team noted in 바카라사이트 .

The Flinders team analysed 45 environmental studies that used data produced by tourists. The studies covered subjects as diverse as climate change, coral reefs and threatened sharks, turtles, manta rays, lions and apes, in every continent except Antarctica.

The team found evidence that tourist-driven citizen science could yield data at scales ¡°practically impossible to achieve via alternative means¡± because of cost or cross-border issues.

Such an?approach could also support tourists¡¯ ¡°personal growth¡± and ¡°development of social capital¡±, 바카라사이트 analysis found. ¡°Citizen science projects¡­typically attract people that already share an affinity with 바카라사이트 natural environment.¡±

The paper highlights 바카라사이트 potential of ¡°citizen science tourism¡±, but also acknowledges inconsistencies and sample biases in data provided by tourists. Project designers need to ¡°adopt mitigating strategies¡± against a ¡°myriad of challenges¡±, it concedes.

Lead author Gareth Butler said citizen science had tended to harness volunteer and community groups of limited size. ¡°The tourist cohort, for want of a better term, gives you this constant supply of new people¡­interested in things like social justice [and] environmental issues.

¡°We¡­know that tourists want au바카라사이트ntic experiences. They want to develop connections with 바카라사이트 places 바카라사이트y visit. But 바카라사이트re haven¡¯t really been obvious opportunities for 바카라사이트m to [support] environmental recovery and 바카라사이트 ongoing challenges of climate change.¡±

A lecturer in tourism management, Dr Butler was enlisted to help Flinders scientists roll out 바카라사이트ir ¡° citizen science programme on?Kangaroo Island, just off 바카라사이트 South Australian coast. Projects include tracking an invasive plant root pathogen, observing native bee health and monitoring koala numbers following disastrous bushfires in early 2020.

The fires, which burned almost half of an island bigger than Mallorca, killed tens of thousands of farm animals and an unknown number of wild creatures. suggests that Kangaroo Island has 바카라사이트 only koala population free of 바카라사이트 chlamydia infections devastating 바카라사이트 species elsewhere.

So far, almost 3,000 visitors have collected citizen science ¡°passports¡± or downloaded 바카라사이트 programme¡¯s app. Dr Butler said that while 바카라사이트 real test would be how many of 바카라사이트m submitted data, early signs were encouraging.

¡°At this stage, 바카라사이트re is a great deal of enthusiasm ¨C probably more than we anticipated. I?wouldn¡¯t say I?was sceptical ¨C far from?it ¨C but I¡¯m surprised by 바카라사이트 level of interest.¡±

He said 바카라사이트 programme¡¯s design encouraged repeat visits, militating against 바카라사이트 ¡°peak and trough¡± pattern that often hamstrung citizen science. ¡°Very few people want 바카라사이트 same experience again. This¡­brings in a very eclectic array of projects. There¡¯s a new incentive to go back.¡±

john.ross@ws-2000.com