Citizen Science Project - Case Study Example

Citizen science project Name Institution What is citizen science? Citizen science is the involvement of the public or people who are not professional scientists in different scientific aspects for example, in the analysis and collection of science related data and development of technology. The projects may involve documenting migration habits of certain organisms, counting the number of a particular group of organisms and also the collection of specimens. Citizen science projects have largely contributed to the advancement of scientific knowledge through the collection of large quantities of data from different habitats. (Cooper et al., 2007) The volunteers are people who give their time or resources without any expectation as to monetary reward. In the US many of the volunteers come from established groups for example, religious groups or local organizations. Citizen science projects provide an opportunity for the volunteers to learn more about the organisms under observation and to enlighten them on the process for conducting scientific investigations. The citizen volunteers benefit by increasing their scientific literacy through their involvement in making decisions on policy issues that relate to science. (Cooper et al., 2009) Choice of the citizen science project The citizen science project chosen was the participation in tracking a deadly tree pathogen that causes a disease known as the sudden oak death in California and Oregon. The reason for the choice of this citizen science project was because the project presented an opportunity to learn more about pathogens and specifically the sudden oak death pathogen. The project also presented an opportunity to get educated about the disease and learn the scientific methods of detecting the disease. The project also presented an opportunity to prepare scientific maps to show the distribution of the disease. The training conducted at the beginning of the project for all the volunteers was insightful and informative. This motivated my choice of the project as such information would help in participating in future citizen science projects1. The tracking of the disease would provide an exposure in detecting disease-causing pathogens not only in trees but also in other plants. The project would provide information that would not only be relevant in that particular project, but also in other projects of a similar nature. Aim of the project The aim of the project was to detect the disease before the oaks are infected and apply preventative measures. The symptoms of the disease could be seen on the leaves of the trees. The infected leaves signify that the disease is in that location and would soon spread to infect the oaks. The tracking of the disease enabled the early detection of the disease on the bay leaves and allow for the treatment of the disease before it could spread to the oaks. Guide to the symptoms of the disease Image: Courtesy of U.C. Berkeley Forest Pathology and Mycology Laboratory. The preventative measures included sanitation, chemical preventative treatments and bay removal. The disease could only be prevented before it could infect the oaks. This is because once the infection has begun; there is no way to treat the infected tree. The treatment had to be focussed on the pre-infection stage of the disease. The process of sanitation, bay removal and chemical preventative treatments would help to prevent the spread of the disease in the area that has been identified2. The ability to detect the disease while on the bay leaves was important in order to succeed in slowing down the spread of the sudden oak death disease. In cases where the disease was not detected at an early stage, which is before the infections begun, the disease would spread so fast and would lead to the drying up of the trees. The end result would be the threat of the survival of the various oak species. An oak infected with Sudden Oak Disease Image: Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Why the project is important The Sudden Oak Death is a disease that has led to the death of many native trees in California. The pathogen that causes the disease leads to the gradual death of the tree. Once an oak tree is infected, there is no prevention mechanism to be used to prevent its death. The prevention of the infection of the disease can only be done before the trees are infected. It can be detected from the leaves and, at this point, it is possible to prevent further infection and save the trees in that area from being infected. (Garbelotto et al., 2003) The project is important in the conservation of the tanoak and oak trees. The spread of the disease poses a threat to the existence and survival of various oak species. The prevention of the disease therefore helps ensure the continued survival of the trees and also to manage the spread of the disease which poses a risk even to other types of trees. The project is also important in the identification of the distribution of the disease and the production of the maps showing the distribution. This is important in boosting the efforts to contain the disease and minimize its spread. The distribution of the disease allows the identification of the pattern of the spread to enable the researchers detect the disease early enough. This is a boost to the prevention of the spread of the disease. What did the project involve? The project involved the detection of the disease and producing distribution maps to help in the prevention of the spread of the disease. The participants would be trained to identify the symptoms of the sudden oak death disease which involved the collection of the samples to be submitted to the researchers for further research. Once the sample was collected, the location of the sample had to be recorded as well as the distance between the sampled trees. This would be used in the making of the disease distribution maps. The participants would have bags to collect the samples from the infected trees to be forwarded to the researchers for analysis. The participants also had forms to fill the location of the sample as well as GPS units and markers to provide more information as to the location of the sample collected. Once the samples are collected, they are then submitted to a central collection facility. The samples are then to be submitted to the Berkeley diagnostic laboratory for analysis. The analysis was conducted to determine whether or not the samples were infected with the disease. After the samples are analysed, a disease distribution map is generated showing the areas sampled and whether in those areas there are infections of the disease. Once the distribution map has been generated, we would then proceed to use preventative measures in those areas where the disease was detected at an early stage. This would assist in preventing the infection of the oak trees in that area. The disease distribution map was also helpful in identifying the rate of the spread of the disease. This would also help the researchers respond to the disease infection by using preventative measures in those areas that were identified. Distribution of the disease map 2008-2012 Image: Courtesy of U.C. Berkeley Forest Pathology and Mycology Laboratory. There were also follow-up community meetings where we would look at the progress made in curbing the rate of the infection of the disease in those areas where the infection had been identified. This would focus on the success made in the prevention of the spread of the disease. The community in those areas would be informed and trained on the need to make regular effort to detect the disease in order to curb its rate of infection at an early stage. The community is equipped to be able to conduct the sudden oak death disease detection on their own to keep the spread of the disease in check. Evaluation of participation in the project The involvement in this citizen science project was generally a wonderful experience. The project was helpful in acquiring scientific literacy through the information passed through the training sessions and the practical sessions that were conducted. The involvement in the detection of the sudden oak death provided an opportunity to carry out scientific analysis and experiments. This provided a great opportunity and exposure to scientific data collection and data analysis. The project also provided an opportunity to be part of an initiative to conserve bio-diversity through preventing the loss of the various species of the oak trees. It provided an avenue to gain a deeper understanding of diseases and their prevention. The project was an opportunity to be enlightened on the importance of science in the survival of both plants and animals. In the same way we were able to detect the sudden death oak disease and prevent its spread; animal diseases could also be detected and prevented early enough to prevent the death of animals and human beings, in the case of diseases affecting human beings. Science is a great tool towards ensuring the survival of both plants and animals. With the increase in diseases that are causing the deaths of animals and plants, science can be used to ensure the treatment and prevention of these diseases. References Bonney, R., Cooper, C. B., Dickinson, J., Kelling, S., Phillips, T., Rosenberg, K. V., & Shirk, J. (2009). Citizen science: A developing tool for expanding science knowledge and scientific literacy. Bioscience, 59, 11, 977-984. Rizzo, D. M., & Garbelotto, M. (2003). Sudden oak death: endangering California and Oregon forest ecosystems. Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment, 1(4), 197-204. Davidson, J. M., Werres, S., Garbelotto, M., Hansen, E. M., & Rizzo, D. M. (2003). Sudden oak death and associated diseases caused by Phytophthora ramorum. Plant Health Progress, 7. McPherson, B. A., Mori, S. R., Wood, D. L., Storer, A. J., Svihra, P., Kelly, N. M., & Standiford, R. B. (2005). Sudden oak death in California: disease progression in oaks and tanoaks. Forest Ecology and Management, 213(1), 71-89. Irwin, A. (1995). Citizen science. Taylor & Francis Limited. Trumbull, D. J., Bonney, R., Bascom, D., & Cabral, A. (2000). Thinking scientifically during participation in a citizen‐science project. Science education, 84(2), 265-275. Cooper, C. B., Dickinson, J., Phillips, T., & Bonney, R. (2007). Citizen science as a tool for conservation in residential ecosystems. Ecology and Society, 12(2), 11. Communities coming together in the fight against Sudden Oak Death. (2015). Available at: http://nature.berkeley.edu/garbelotto/english/sodblitzintro.php [Accessed on 30 May 2015] Read More

The project would provide information that would not only be relevant in that particular project, but also in other projects of a similar nature. Aim of the project The aim of the project was to detect the disease before the oaks are infected and apply preventative measures. The symptoms of the disease could be seen on the leaves of the trees. The infected leaves signify that the disease is in that location and would soon spread to infect the oaks. The tracking of the disease enabled the early detection of the disease on the bay leaves and allow for the treatment of the disease before it could spread to the oaks.

Guide to the symptoms of the disease Image: Courtesy of U.C. Berkeley Forest Pathology and Mycology Laboratory. The preventative measures included sanitation, chemical preventative treatments and bay removal. The disease could only be prevented before it could infect the oaks. This is because once the infection has begun; there is no way to treat the infected tree. The treatment had to be focussed on the pre-infection stage of the disease. The process of sanitation, bay removal and chemical preventative treatments would help to prevent the spread of the disease in the area that has been identified2.

The ability to detect the disease while on the bay leaves was important in order to succeed in slowing down the spread of the sudden oak death disease. In cases where the disease was not detected at an early stage, which is before the infections begun, the disease would spread so fast and would lead to the drying up of the trees. The end result would be the threat of the survival of the various oak species. An oak infected with Sudden Oak Disease Image: Courtesy of the U.S. Department of Agriculture Forest Service Why the project is important The Sudden Oak Death is a disease that has led to the death of many native trees in California.

The pathogen that causes the disease leads to the gradual death of the tree. Once an oak tree is infected, there is no prevention mechanism to be used to prevent its death. The prevention of the infection of the disease can only be done before the trees are infected. It can be detected from the leaves and, at this point, it is possible to prevent further infection and save the trees in that area from being infected. (Garbelotto et al., 2003) The project is important in the conservation of the tanoak and oak trees.

The spread of the disease poses a threat to the existence and survival of various oak species. The prevention of the disease therefore helps ensure the continued survival of the trees and also to manage the spread of the disease which poses a risk even to other types of trees. The project is also important in the identification of the distribution of the disease and the production of the maps showing the distribution. This is important in boosting the efforts to contain the disease and minimize its spread.

The distribution of the disease allows the identification of the pattern of the spread to enable the researchers detect the disease early enough. This is a boost to the prevention of the spread of the disease. What did the project involve? The project involved the detection of the disease and producing distribution maps to help in the prevention of the spread of the disease. The participants would be trained to identify the symptoms of the sudden oak death disease which involved the collection of the samples to be submitted to the researchers for further research.

Once the sample was collected, the location of the sample had to be recorded as well as the distance between the sampled trees. This would be used in the making of the disease distribution maps. The participants would have bags to collect the samples from the infected trees to be forwarded to the researchers for analysis. The participants also had forms to fill the location of the sample as well as GPS units and markers to provide more information as to the location of the sample collected. Once the samples are collected, they are then submitted to a central collection facility.

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