Elementary School Children Contribute to Environmental Research as Citizen Scientists.

ABSTRACT: Research benefits increasingly from valuable contributions by citizen scientists. Mostly, participating adults investigate specific species, ecosystems or phenology to address conservation issues, but ecosystem functions supporting ecosystem health are rarely addressed and other demographic groups rarely involved. As part of a project investigating seed predation and dispersal as ecosystem functions along an urban-rural gradient, we tested whether elementary school children can contribute to the project as citizen scientists. Specifically, we compared data estimating vegetation cover, measuring vegetation height and counting seeds from a seed removal experiment, that were collected by children and scientists in schoolyards. Children counted seeds similarly to scientists but under- or overe

SUBMITTER: Miczajka VL 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4651542 | biostudies-literature | 2015

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature