By Hamish Stewart u6676910

Earlier this year I participated in the annual volunteer Waterwatch Platypus Month Survey. This post will explore the importance of biodiversity monitoring and how citizen science programmes can support conservation efforts.

Biodiversity monitoring: what is it and why is it important?

Biodiversity monitoring refers to the systematic and repeated observation or measurement of biodiversity in its various forms, including species, ecosystems and environmental processes. Effective and ongoing biodiversity monitoring is critically important for conserving species and protecting ecosystems because it helps build an understanding of how biodiversity changes over space and time in response to different processes and management techniques (Conrad and Hilchey 2011). Despite its importance, biodiversity monitoring is often poorly implemented due to the high costs and technological challenges involved in making continuous, accurate observations (Aceves-Bueno et al. 2015).

Citizen science based biodiversity monitoring

One way researchers, governments and conservation groups can enhance the effectiveness of biodiversity monitoring is by engaging citizen scientists, i.e. volunteers who collect and/or process data to support scientific research. Citizen scientist biodiversity monitoring programmes are cost effective and can be conducted for long periods on a large scale, which is particularly important for species population monitoring (Tulloch et al. 2013 ).

Case study: Waterwatch Platypus Month Survey

One of the longest ongoing citizen science biodiversity monitoring programmes in the Australian Capital Territory (ACT) is the annual Platypus Month Survey facilitated by the community-based organisation Upper Murrumbidgee Waterwatch. The Platypus Month Survey involves volunteers conducting thirty four surveys of local platypus (Ornithorhynchus anatinus) populations throughout August at eight designated survey spots (see the map and infographic below). Although many volunteers do not have formal scientific training, Waterwatch maximises the quality of this survey data by using a simple, repeatable population count method that is complemented by digital learning tools and an on-site training brief (Alabri and Hunter 2010).

Source: Waterwatch (2020) “Platypus Month Report 2020”.

After participating in the annual volunteer Platypus Month Survey, I identified two major benefits of the programme. Firstly, this project provides critical insight into the status of platypus populations in the ACT and surrounding areas. Despite the significant cultural and ecological importance of the platypus, there remains very limited understanding of platypus populations in remaining sub-catchments (Hawke et al. 2019). As such, the data collected in the Platypus Month Survey is used by a variety of stakeholders, including the ACT Government, Icon Water, and the Australian Platypus Conservancy, to help inform effective and adaptive platypus conservation management strategies.

The second major benefit of this project is increased public awareness and community engagement. In addition to providing valuable data, the Platypus Month Survey helps enhance conservation efforts by empowering citizens, fostering the relationship between management authorities and locals, and educating communities regarding the significant threats facing the platypus (Conrad and Hilchey 2011).

How can you get involved?

The growing popularity of citizen science programmes amongst both researchers and the general public is reflected in the establishment of numerous new volunteer-based research projects in the ACT. This list provides an overview of several important programmes seeking local participation. To join the next Platypus Month Survey, keep an eye on the Waterwatch website.

As human settlements continue to encroach on wild areas, citizen science biodiversity monitoring projects will be critically important for conserving vulnerable species and ecosystems.

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