Data_Sheet_1_Citizen Science Driven Big Data Collection Requires Improved and Inclusive Societal Engagement.pdf

Marine ecosystems are in a state of crisis worldwide due to anthropogenic stressors, exacerbated by generally diminished ocean literacy. In other sectors, big data and technological advances are opening our horizons towards improved knowledge and understanding. In the marine environment the opportunities afforded by big data and new technologies are limited by a lack of available empirical data on habitats, species, and their ecology. This limits our ability to manage these systems due to poor understanding of the processes driving loss and recovery. For improved chances of achieving sustainable marine systems, detailed local data is required that can be connected regionally and globally. Citizen Science (CS) is a potential tool for monitoring and conserving marine ecosystems, particularly in the case of shallow nearshore habitats, however, limited understanding exists as to the effectiveness of CS programmes in engaging the general public or their capacity to collect marine big data. This study aims to understand and identify pathways for improved engagement of citizen scientists. We investigated the motivations and barriers to engagement of participants in CS using two major global seagrass CS programmes. Programme participants were primarily researchers in seagrass science or similar fields which speak to a more general problem of exclusivity across CS. Altruistic motivations were demonstrated, whilst deterrence was associated with poor project organisation and a lack of awareness of specified systems and associated CS projects. Knowledge of seagrass ecosystems from existing participants was high and gains because of participation consequently minimal. For marine CS projects to support big data, we need to expand and diversify their current user base. We suggest enhanced outreach to stakeholders using cooperatively identified ecological questions, for example situated within the context of maintaining local ecosystem services. Dissemination of information should be completed with a variety of media types and should stress the potential for knowledge transfer, novel social interactions, and stewardship of local environments. Although our research confirms the potential for CS to foster enhanced collection of big data for improved marine conservation and management, we illustrate the need to improve and expand approaches to user engagement to reach required data targets.

全球范围内，海洋生态系统正遭受人类活动造成的压力而陷入危机，这一状况因普遍降低的海洋认知度而加剧。在其他领域，大数据技术的进步正拓宽我们的视野，促进对知识和理解的提升。然而，在海洋环境中，大数据和新技术带来的机遇因缺乏关于栖息地、物种及其生态学方面的实证数据而受限。这限制了我们对这些系统进行管理的能力，因为我们对导致损失和恢复过程的了解不足。为了提高实现可持续海洋系统的可能性，我们需要详细的地方数据，这些数据能够在区域和全球范围内进行连接。公民科学（CS）是监控和保护海洋生态系统的潜在工具，尤其是在浅海近岸栖息地的情况下。然而，目前对CS项目在吸引公众参与或其收集海洋大数据能力方面的有效性存在认识不足。本研究旨在理解和识别提高公民科学家参与度的途径。我们调查了参与公民科学项目的人员的参与动机和障碍，使用了两个主要的全球性海草公民科学项目。项目参与者主要是海草科学或相关领域的研究人员，这反映了公民科学领域普遍存在的排他性问题。表现出利他动机的同时，与项目组织不佳和对特定系统和相关CS项目缺乏认识相关的是阻碍因素。现有参与者对海草生态系统的了解程度高，因此由于参与而获得的收益微乎其微。为了支持大数据的海洋CS项目，我们需要扩大和多样化其当前的用户基础。我们建议通过合作确定的生态问题进行加强宣传，例如在维护当地生态系统服务的前提下。信息的传播应通过多种媒体类型完成，并强调知识转移、新颖的社会互动以及当地环境管理的潜力。尽管我们的研究证实了公民科学促进大数据收集以改善海洋保护和管理的潜力，但我们强调了改进和扩展用户参与方法以实现所需数据目标的必要性。