Charles Godfray welcomes citizen scientists

One of the downsides of the technical sophistication of modern science is that it is increasingly hard for non-professionals — ‘citizen scientists’ — to make real and significant contributions to research. But there are some areas where this is still possible: astronomy is one, and biodiversity science is another.

Biodiversity science is the study of the huge variety of plant and animals (and microorganisms) on Earth. It includes taxonomy and systematics, much of ecology and evolutionary biology, as well as the more organised side of natural history. The immensity of the task of documenting and understanding biodiversity makes it essential that not only professional biologists but as many non-professionals as possible become engaged in this activity.

Obstacles for citizen scientists

Perhaps the greatest factor stopping more people getting involved in biodiversity research is the difficulty of assessing existing information. A huge relevant literature exists, but this is scattered through thousands of books and hundreds of thousands of scientific papers, almost impossible for the non-specialist to get hold of. Increasingly valuable information exists on the web, but not the comprehensive resources that have been developed in many other scientific fields.

What we dream of is an encyclopaedia of all the species of plants, animals and microorganisms on earth; an authoritative resource describing their taxonomy and classification, their structure and biology, how they can be recognised and where we can find more information about them. As importantly, it will tell us what we don’t know – the areas where citizen scientists can make a real contribution.

Web-based resource

A consortium of biologists and computer scientists, based in the United States but with partners throughout the world, is trying to make this dream a reality. The project is called the Encyclopaedia of Life (EoL) and its goal is to create a webpage for every species known to man.

It was launched last February and is already beginning to mount material on its website (1). EoL is developing tools that will allow anyone to contribute to the project, both professionals and serious amateurs who will take on the curation of different web pages, and the more casual naturalist who might record a new locality for an animal or plant, or who might submit a particularly nice photograph or biological observation.

Challenges

The EoL project is challenging for a number of reasons. First it requires a new and sophisticated website with the capacity to accept information from a diverse group of contributors, and then to display it in different ways that match the needs of an even greater variety of potential users.

Second it needs biodiversity scientists to work together in new ways in a grand international project. Traditionally, the field has been more individualistic, with individuals or small groups concentrating on particular types of plants and animals. Third, taxonomy is a vibrant science, with new ideas about classifications and evolutionary relationships constantly being put forward and vigorously debated.

EoL has to somehow support the messiness of active science while providing a relatively simple set of outputs for the broader community of professional and non-professional biologists. And of course there are financial challenges. EoL will need to develop a sustainable business model if it to survive in the long term.

Empowering the community

Overcoming these challenges will bring massive benefits. Professional biologists will at last be able to get simple and straightforward access to taxonomic information.

Taxonomy sometimes finds it hard to compete for funds with all the other branches of biology. If the subject’s end-users find it easier to get hold of and use its outputs, then hopefully a virtuous circle will ensue in which all biologists will clamour for greater investment in biodiversity science which will enrich the information sources available.

But as exciting is the possibility of engaging a much broader group of people in modern biodiversity science. EoL offers the prospect of empowering this community to carry out novel and important biodiversity studies, and then for their findings to be incorporated into the ever¬growing body of knowledge of the natural world.

Reference

1. http://www.eol.org/

Dr Charles Godfray is in the Department of Zoology at Oxford University, and is a member of the Distinguished Advisory Board of the Encyclopaedia of Life