Mosquitoes circle as a small group of us plows through the darkness, wading through knee-high grass beside a small tributary of the Mooloolah River on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. We’re part of the world’s largest expert-verified frog project.
The project, called FrogID, was launched by the Australian Museum in 2017 and has since involved more than 40,000 people who use the app to record frog calls, resulting in nearly one million frog science discoveries. Records and more than 22 scientific publications were generated.
It’s not easy.
Flashlights and headlamps illuminate the raindrops that are currently falling. Our shoes are full of water, but we dare not complain as this situation creates perfect weather for the frogs we are looking for. The Australian Museum’s FrogID project.
This group of passionate citizen scientists is led by Nadia RoslanFrogID Project Coordinator, and jessica raintreeHead of Projects and Community Engagement at Mooloolah River Landcare.
“That’s why you can hear the ‘click-click-click-click’ sound of the eastern dwarf tree frog,” says Roslan, as the chorus of rain and frogs intensifies. “And I thought I heard one of them.” [Wallum] Formerly Rocket Frogs. ”
Of Australia’s more than 240 frog species, one in five is at risk of extinction due to disease, habitat modification, climate change, pollution, invasive species and the wildlife trade, Roslan said. It is said that there is.
FrogID is mapping a database of frog calls to document the true species diversity, distribution and breeding habitat of Australian frogs with high geographic coverage and spatial, temporal and taxonomic accuracy. The purpose is It helps save them.
It would not have been possible without an army of citizens. And its military is fully operational.
The best way to accurately identify the species of frog was to listen to the male’s mating calls, rather than what he looked like, Roslan said. Two frogs that look the same can be completely different species. For example, the Barrington-topped tree frog and the greenstream frog share the same Kermit green color and golden stripes extending from their eyes.
Similarly, two frogs of the same species can look completely different. One vulnerable Wallum Sedge Frog has leaf-green skin, while his other frog has dark chocolate color.
“The national FrogID dataset will improve our understanding of how frogs are responding to wildfires, drought, urbanization, and disease, and will also help uncover the first frog species in science. I did.”
The FrogID project was one of dozens of citizen science projects featured at the exhibition. Australian Citizen Science Association Conference in University of the Sunshine Coast Sippy Downs Campus this week.
The three-day event attracted more than 150 attendees to hear how some of the day’s most important challenges are being tackled with the help of citizen science.
Dozens of speakers will discuss strengthening biosecurity, enhancing ghost gear recovery, mapping coral cover, monitoring industrial noise from open-pit coal mines, improving public health, increasing scientific literacy, analyzing astronomical phenomena, and more. We explored how citizen science can be used to
But it is in conservation and biodiversity that citizen scientists have perhaps the greatest impact. Because they are the only ones who can provide the extensive data needed.
For example, of the 115 million records published in the Atlas of Living Australia (ALA), approximately 50% were contributed by citizen scientists, according to a paper published in October 2008. and, Citizen science: theory and practice During September.
Federal Government Endangered Species Chair Dr Fiona Fraser spoke at the conference. Ministry of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Waterpledged further federal support for citizen science efforts.
Fraser said that under the original plan, citizen scientists and community groups played a key role in improving the trajectory of some endangered species. Endangered Species Strategy (2015-2020).
New department Endangered Species Action Plan (2022-2032) We clearly recognize the important role that citizen scientists play in research, data collection, and other fields.
“This is extremely important, especially as many of our endangered species lack data and additional knowledge will help us better understand threats and inform managers.” says Fraser.
“Citizen science comes in many forms. It’s really ‘choose your own adventure,'” she added.
“Initiatives and projects range from one-off, short-term projects to long-term, long-term studies on a local, national, or even global scale.
“Therefore, under the banner of [our] In our action plan, we intend to do everything we can to support our citizen science partners and efforts.
“This ranges from supporting long-term initiatives through our department to funding short-term endangered species projects, including engaging in citizen science.
“[It may also include] The goal is to spread knowledge about the importance of citizen science initiatives as a means of communicating the science of biodiversity conservation and how it can be a pathway to behavioral change among participants. ”
Fraser also said that he makes a conscious effort to promote citizen science projects on his social media platforms, noting that they are “not just a way to celebrate advances in knowledge and action, but that they are a great means of raising awareness.” And frankly, it’s also because it’s a very popular post.”
She noted that the most popular social media post last year was one featuring Canberra’s male Kangan parrot, Baldi. Baldi was the subject of a citizen science campaign because she was raising the chicks with her long-term partner.
Residents were asked to report any sightings of Baldi, who is easily identified due to the distinctive damage to his coat of arms.
“Thanks to the observations made by citizen scientists, we were able to learn more about the behavior of the cockatoos,” Fraser said.
“One of the things we learned from these sightings is that adult swans with chicks in their nests can travel up to four kilometers from an active nest to feed.”
Maggie Muhlmans, senior conservation officer in the Queensland Department of Environment and Science’s Wildlife and Threatened Species Division, said citizen science was also at the heart of Queensland’s koala conservation efforts.
“Our research team can only cover a limited area of Queensland,” Mr Murmans said.
“Citizen scientists can really work on all these different areas, especially when it comes to koalas. [which] It is not always recorded. ”
To encourage citizen scientists to report koala sightings, the Department of Environment and Science has launched an award-winning Q wildlife app.
The app allows people to record photos and locations of koalas, helping the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service to ensure maps are up to date and conservation efforts are properly focused. .
Other speakers at the conference will discuss how citizen scientists can help protect turtles, track the conservation status of long-tailed eagles and other birds of prey, and work with Tasmania’s private landowners to protect the state’s natural heritage. We discussed what was going on.
Fraser said collective action involving citizen scientists is critical to protecting and recovering endangered species into the future and informing national policy.
“For some endangered species, there are groups of citizen scientists who are important stewards and advocates for the species they support,” she says.
“For other citizen scientists, these efforts provide an entry point for people who have not previously been involved to participate.
“Contributing and collecting other observations can be the first step in raising awareness about our native wildlife and looking after its future,” she says. .
