Monitoring the World's Oceans – The Growing Role of Citizen Science

The oceans of the world are changing, and one of the most important challenges for marine scientists is to document these changes and generate solutions. Due to enormous extension of the oceans and the pace at which changes... [ view full abstract ]

The oceans of the world are changing, and one of the most important challenges for marine scientists is to document these changes and generate solutions. Due to enormous extension of the oceans and the pace at which changes occur, many local changes go unnoticed. Currently, a large number of volunteers, also called citizen scientists, support marine research, and in this contribution we examine the role that citizen science can play in helping professional scientists to document these changes. Hotspots of marine citizen science projects are in North America and Europe, but also in other regions of the world, reaching a global coverage over the last decade. Most studies supported by citizen scientists focused on animals, followed by plants and other issues such as pollution. Many of the studied animals were commercially important or emblematic, endangered species. Studies on invasive species made use of the extensive spatial scales that can be covered by a large number of volunteers. Data generated by citizen scientists provide information on population dynamics, health and distribution of marine organisms, and also support monitoring programs in marine protected areas, on harmful algal blooms, or of marine debris, among others. Considering the vastness of the oceans and the diversity of habitats, communities and species, a proper understanding of this realm requires intensive research in time and space. Collaboration with citizen scientists improves research capacities, achieving larger temporal and spatial scales at relatively modest costs. Moreover, the exchange of knowledge between professional scientists and participating volunteers fosters communication, trust and capacity building, thereby facilitating effective collaborations in marine conservation initiatives.