Engaging citizens to monitor pollinators through a nationwide BioBlitz: Lessons learned and challenges remaining after four years

• Published in: Biological conservation 2024-12, Vol.300, p.110868, Article 110868
• Main Authors: Fontúrbel, Francisco E., García, José P.A., Celis-Diez, Juan L., Murúa, Maureen M., Vieli, Lorena, Díaz-Forestier, Javiera
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: anthropogenic activities; Apidae; Apis mellifera; Bombus dahlbomii; Bombus terrestris; Buprestidae; butterflies; Chile; Citizen science; data collection; decision making; ecosystems; food security; genus; invasive species; Knowledge gaps; Pollination; pollinators; space and time; species; species diversity; surveys; Syrphidae; Urban areas; Vanessa
• ISSN: 0006-3207
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biocon.2024.110868

Pollination is a key mutualistic interaction between animals and flowering plants, generating biodiversity and providing valuable ecosystem services. However, a pollination crisis occurs because anthropogenic disturbance affects pollinators and their habitats, risking biodiversity and food security. Also, the lack of evidence-based knowledge may worsen disturbance effects by delaying decision-making and conservation actions. Citizen science plays an important role in data gathering by engaging volunteers in obtaining such information. Here, we present the results of four years of pollinator occurrence data from a series of targeted BioBlitz events conducted each November from 2020 to 2023 in Chile. We obtained a total of 6327 records (identified to the species or genus level), corresponding to 569 species from 44 families, collected along the Chilean territory, a 10-fold increase compared to the pre-BioBlitz period (2016–2019). The most frequent species were the butterfly Vanessa carye, the invasive bees Bombus terrestris and Apis mellifera, and the native bumblebee Bombus dahlbomii. Despite inter-annual abundance fluctuations, species composition was similar over time. The most recorded families were Apidae, Syrphidade, Nymphalidae, and Buprestidae. This nationwide multi-year citizen science survey allowed us to collect an impressive dataset that would have been unattainable by scientists alone. Furthermore, we obtained valuable information for monitoring threatened (e.g., B. dahlbomii) or invasive species (e.g., B. terrestris) over space and time, aiding decision-making and conservation efforts. Engaging people in pollinator monitoring strengthens human-nature connections and fosters conservation attitudes. [Display omitted] •Among pollination threats, the lack of evidence-based information is critical.•Citizen science engages volunteers in gathering data for scientific research.•Our BioBlitz campaigns gathered data from 569 pollinator species over four years.•Citizen science data may be helpful to track the spread of invasive pollinators.•These initiatives inform conservation practice and create awareness in the population.