• Case

  • Inclusion

Digital technology favors a change of scale in participatory science

Published on 13 November 2020
Update on 26 September 2022
Download in PDF

Summary

A new generation of digital tools (mobile applications, portals, "requêteur") is transforming wildlife observation practices for the general public and professionals alike.

Participatory sciences are programs of information collection involving public participation in the framework of a scientific approach. The natural sciences have long been open to "participatory science" approaches. The oldest participatory bird monitoring program in North America, the Christmas bird count, was established in 1900.

In France, it was in the 1980s that participatory science programs were created, such as the STOC program (which allows volunteer ornithologists to participate in the standardized monitoring of breeding populations of common birds) or the Vigie-Nature program, led by the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle

In the wake of Vigie-Naturea number of initiatives have been launched in disciplines as diverse as archaeology, astronomy and geology.

For the past ten years, a revival of participatory science has been observed. Driven by a growing demand for knowledge on the state of biodiversity, this revival of participatory science owes much to the "surge of digital technology, which will allow the massification of these systems.

Référence :

Romain Julliard (Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle): digital technology will allow the massification of participatory science systems

In order to respond to a growing demand from researchers or organizations wishing to open their research to civil society, Romain Julliard has just set up Mosaic, a unit at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN) entirely dedicated to supporting participatory projects.

In an interview granted to Uzbek and Ricahe goes back at length on the history of participatory sciences, and their revival, which he attributes in part to " the surge of digital technology, which will allow the massification of these systems.

The proponents of participatory science have been criticized for turning volunteers into mere data collectors, in other words, for compensating for the lack of resources in academic research by mobilizing a new "reserve army"... However, thanks to digital technology, the balance of power is tending to be reversed (...) Let's take the example of the SPIPOLL observatory [ which consists of photographing insects that land on a flower for 20 minutes: the protocol is very standardized but the observation leaves some freedom. We can take pictures when we want, where we want and start again at the rhythm we want. We, as researchers, will thus depend on the way in which the contributors collect the data to make our analyses. The participants thus implicitly direct the questions we ask, which they are probably aware of and which becomes more and more explicit with the experience". "We thus have plenty of evidence that shows that on an individual and especially collective level, the contributors, through their exchanges, partly animate the project themselves. We can almost reverse the stereotype of researchers "exploiting" contributors: I would even say that, to a certain extent, contributors are using us to enhance their data. It is a partnership between researcher and contributor, each one guessing the intention of the other and trying to do the best.

On another scale, adds Romain Julliard, " by doing participatory science, we strengthen our critical thinking. We develop what we call "data literacy". By consciously producing data yourself, by mastering the ins and outs of projects, and by becoming part of a community, you develop a real data culture.

Référence :

Applications to capture and share observations in the field

The devices integrated into smartphones - GPS, camera, sound recorders, compass - have opened the way to new methods of collecting data related to natural heritage. The ease of use of "participatory science" mobile applications allows novice naturalists to participate in the collection of knowledge while taking the measure of the stakes related to biodiversity.

These applications offer a common base of functionalities: field observations, GPS location, location on a map, real-time transmission to a platform, access to lists or taxonomies.

Some of them propose to know which species (rare or not) have been seen in a given place. Others work a bit like a social network and allow to get help for the identification of the observed animals.

  • NaturaList to record wildlife observations. NaturaList NaturaList is a virtual field notebook, which allows you to point out on a precise map the location of your observations concerning about twenty fauna groups, to enter this information in real time or later, to know which species have been observed within a radius of 5 km and, for rare species, within a radius of 100 km
  • "Spipoll" for the photographic monitoring of pollinating insects. This participatory science program, led by the Office pour les insectes et leur environnement (OPIE), offers participants the opportunity to choose a type of flowering plant, then to photograph for 20 minutes precisely all the insects that come to forage on it. This allows to build up collections of photographs, which other participants can consult to help identify the insects.
  • The "Rivages" application is designed to improve knowledge of coastline evolution. This application allows you to survey the coastline in the form of GPS tracks simply by walking and illustrate the survey with photographs. The Cerema centralizes the surveys, processes them and disseminates them on the Géolittoral website through a dynamic cartography.
  • AGIIR to report invasive and/or pest insects
  • The AGIIR application allows you to recognize several invasive insects based on various parameters (development stage, time of year, geographical area) and to declare their presence in a location.
  • "Sauvages de ma rue" to study the uncultivated urban flora. This application allows city dwellers to recognize the plant species growing in their immediate environment, the plants they come across daily in their street, around the feet of trees, on the sidewalks, in the lawns and to send this data to researchers to better understand the distribution of species in the city.

Références :

More than 100,000 French people involved in participatory science programs related to biodiversity in 2019

The French Office of Biodiversity counted 101,000 active participants (at least) in biodiversity-related participatory science programs in 2019. According to this indicator (one of the many indicators maintained by the OFB as part of the National Strategy for Biodiversity), the number of participants increased by 16% in 2019 compared to 2018. It has increased fivefold since 2011.

Resilience and resourcefulness of participatory science in times of containment

Last spring, participatory sciences in biodiversity were put to the test by the confinement. Faced with this crisis, many observatories could not avoid the paralysis of their activities, which are now gradually resuming. For others, this exceptional situation has allowed them to attract new audiences. Garden and balcony spaces have thus been favored by observers. Digital tools have also been widely used to bring participatory science to life.

OPEN, the national portal for participatory science

Created by the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (MNHN), the Observatoires participatifs des espèces et de la nature (OPEN) portal brings together 158 participatory science programs for the study of biodiversity.

Led by the MNHN, the Fondation pour la nature et l'homme and the Union nationale des centers permanents d'initiatives pour l'environnement (UNCPIE), with the support of the Office français de la biodiversité and the Fondation de France, Open references national, regional and local participatory science observatories.

Références :

With OpenObs, the National Inventory of Natural Heritage provides access to 157,906 recorded species

L'National Inventory of Natural Heritage (INPN), the portal of French biodiversity, "disseminates knowledge on animal and plant species, natural environments, protected areas and geological heritage. All these reference data, validated by networks of experts, are available to all, professionals, amateurs and citizens.

A new feature of the portal, OpenObs, allows users to view and download observation data on species available in the National Inventory of Natural Heritage. This gives access to 71 million observation data, 5,298 data sets and 157,906 species listed in the Inventory. This volume is growing by 19% per year. Two new species are described every day in France. However, despite these efforts, two thirds of the main groups of species are still considered as poorly inventoried in France. Overseas species, which constitute 80% of our diversity, are still poorly known.

OpenObs is technically based on the Atlas of Living Australia project, which is supported by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) community. The GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) is an international network and data infrastructure funded by governments to provide open access to data on all forms of life on Earth for everyone, everywhere.

Référence :

Sources

Digital technology favors a change of scale in participatory science

A new generation of digital tools (mobile applications, portals, "requêteur") is transforming wildlife observation practices for the general public and professionals alike.

Participatory sciences are programs of information collection involving public participation in the framework of a scientific approach. The natural sciences have long been open to "participatory science" approaches. The oldest participatory bird monitoring program in North America, the Christmas bird count, was established in 1900.

In France, it was in the 1980s that participatory science programs were created, such as the STOC program (which allows volunteer ornithologists to participate in the standardized monitoring of breeding populations of common birds) or the Vigie-Nature program, led by the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle

In the wake of Vigie-Naturea number of initiatives have been launched in disciplines as diverse as archaeology, astronomy and geology.

For the past ten years, a revival of participatory science has been observed. Driven by a growing demand for knowledge on the state of biodiversity, this revival of participatory science owes much to the "surge of digital technology, which will allow the massification of these systems.

Référence :

Romain Julliard (Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle): digital technology will allow the massification of participatory science systems

In order to respond to a growing demand from researchers or organizations wishing to open their research to civil society, Romain Julliard has just set up Mosaic, a unit at the Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle (MNHN) entirely dedicated to supporting participatory projects.

In an interview granted to Uzbek and Ricahe goes back at length on the history of participatory sciences, and their revival, which he attributes in part to " the surge of digital technology, which will allow the massification of these systems.

The proponents of participatory science have been criticized for turning volunteers into mere data collectors, in other words, for compensating for the lack of resources in academic research by mobilizing a new "reserve army"... However, thanks to digital technology, the balance of power is tending to be reversed (...) Let's take the example of the SPIPOLL observatory [ which consists of photographing insects that land on a flower for 20 minutes: the protocol is very standardized but the observation leaves some freedom. We can take pictures when we want, where we want and start again at the rhythm we want. We, as researchers, will thus depend on the way in which the contributors collect the data to make our analyses. The participants thus implicitly direct the questions we ask, which they are probably aware of and which becomes more and more explicit with the experience". "We thus have plenty of evidence that shows that on an individual and especially collective level, the contributors, through their exchanges, partly animate the project themselves. We can almost reverse the stereotype of researchers "exploiting" contributors: I would even say that, to a certain extent, contributors are using us to enhance their data. It is a partnership between researcher and contributor, each one guessing the intention of the other and trying to do the best.

On another scale, adds Romain Julliard, " by doing participatory science, we strengthen our critical thinking. We develop what we call "data literacy". By consciously producing data yourself, by mastering the ins and outs of projects, and by becoming part of a community, you develop a real data culture.

Référence :

Applications to capture and share observations in the field

The devices integrated into smartphones - GPS, camera, sound recorders, compass - have opened the way to new methods of collecting data related to natural heritage. The ease of use of "participatory science" mobile applications allows novice naturalists to participate in the collection of knowledge while taking the measure of the stakes related to biodiversity.

These applications offer a common base of functionalities: field observations, GPS location, location on a map, real-time transmission to a platform, access to lists or taxonomies.

Some of them propose to know which species (rare or not) have been seen in a given place. Others work a bit like a social network and allow to get help for the identification of the observed animals.

  • NaturaList to record wildlife observations. NaturaList NaturaList is a virtual field notebook, which allows you to point out on a precise map the location of your observations concerning about twenty fauna groups, to enter this information in real time or later, to know which species have been observed within a radius of 5 km and, for rare species, within a radius of 100 km
  • "Spipoll" for the photographic monitoring of pollinating insects. This participatory science program, led by the Office pour les insectes et leur environnement (OPIE), offers participants the opportunity to choose a type of flowering plant, then to photograph for 20 minutes precisely all the insects that come to forage on it. This allows to build up collections of photographs, which other participants can consult to help identify the insects.
  • The "Rivages" application is designed to improve knowledge of coastline evolution. This application allows you to survey the coastline in the form of GPS tracks simply by walking and illustrate the survey with photographs. The Cerema centralizes the surveys, processes them and disseminates them on the Géolittoral website through a dynamic cartography.
  • AGIIR to report invasive and/or pest insects
  • The AGIIR application allows you to recognize several invasive insects based on various parameters (development stage, time of year, geographical area) and to declare their presence in a location.
  • "Sauvages de ma rue" to study the uncultivated urban flora. This application allows city dwellers to recognize the plant species growing in their immediate environment, the plants they come across daily in their street, around the feet of trees, on the sidewalks, in the lawns and to send this data to researchers to better understand the distribution of species in the city.

Références :

More than 100,000 French people involved in participatory science programs related to biodiversity in 2019

The French Office of Biodiversity counted 101,000 active participants (at least) in biodiversity-related participatory science programs in 2019. According to this indicator (one of the many indicators maintained by the OFB as part of the National Strategy for Biodiversity), the number of participants increased by 16% in 2019 compared to 2018. It has increased fivefold since 2011.

Resilience and resourcefulness of participatory science in times of containment

Last spring, participatory sciences in biodiversity were put to the test by the confinement. Faced with this crisis, many observatories could not avoid the paralysis of their activities, which are now gradually resuming. For others, this exceptional situation has allowed them to attract new audiences. Garden and balcony spaces have thus been favored by observers. Digital tools have also been widely used to bring participatory science to life.

OPEN, the national portal for participatory science

Created by the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (MNHN), the Observatoires participatifs des espèces et de la nature (OPEN) portal brings together 158 participatory science programs for the study of biodiversity.

Led by the MNHN, the Fondation pour la nature et l'homme and the Union nationale des centers permanents d'initiatives pour l'environnement (UNCPIE), with the support of the Office français de la biodiversité and the Fondation de France, Open references national, regional and local participatory science observatories.

Références :

With OpenObs, the National Inventory of Natural Heritage provides access to 157,906 recorded species

L'National Inventory of Natural Heritage (INPN), the portal of French biodiversity, "disseminates knowledge on animal and plant species, natural environments, protected areas and geological heritage. All these reference data, validated by networks of experts, are available to all, professionals, amateurs and citizens.

A new feature of the portal, OpenObs, allows users to view and download observation data on species available in the National Inventory of Natural Heritage. This gives access to 71 million observation data, 5,298 data sets and 157,906 species listed in the Inventory. This volume is growing by 19% per year. Two new species are described every day in France. However, despite these efforts, two thirds of the main groups of species are still considered as poorly inventoried in France. Overseas species, which constitute 80% of our diversity, are still poorly known.

OpenObs is technically based on the Atlas of Living Australia project, which is supported by the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) community. The GBIF (Global Biodiversity Information Facility) is an international network and data infrastructure funded by governments to provide open access to data on all forms of life on Earth for everyone, everywhere.

Référence :

Sources

Labo Société Numérique

Labo République Française Agence nationale de cohésion des territoires
Digital technology favors a change of scale in participatory science