Theme: Data analysis of citizen science project on web based animal survey in private gardens in Japan

Urban biodiversity has been lost in Japan mainly due to urbanization. Green of the urban matrix such as private gardens and roadside trees is important to maintain urban biodiversity. However, few studies have been clarified... [ view full abstract ]

Urban biodiversity has been lost in Japan mainly due to urbanization. Green of the urban matrix such as private gardens and roadside trees is important to maintain urban biodiversity. However, few studies have been clarified the diversity of species and its relationship with environmental factors in private gardens at nationwide spatial scale in Japan. Although, it is difficult to gather information from broader area, this challenge can be achieved with citizen science. The purpose of this study is to estimate the potential of biodiversity in private gardens by analyzing data of “Garden Wild Life Watch” which was initiated by CEED (Center for Ecological Education). In this study, program which participants monitor the appearance of selected 20 species including common 5 species of birds and 11 species of insects and the other at least once in a month from May to August and factors in each garden such as size of the garden and existence of green near the garden were analyzed. The data from 335 private gardens in the last 4 years from 2010 to 2013 were analyzed by using multiple logistic regression analysis. The number of observed species in the gardens significantly increased with the size of the garden and when a bird feeder put at the garden. The probability of appearance of barn swallow in the garden significantly increased with existence of balcony and feeder in the garden and existence of rivers near the garden. The significant positive relationship was also observed between the appearance of great tit and existence of nest box in the garden or brush near the garden. These results clarified that private garden becomes a platform for adaptive management and nationwide citizen science supports research to demonstrate the importance of private gardens as ecological matrix in the area.