Incorporating Citizen Science to Complete a Biodiversity Assessment for the City of Cincinnati

Abstract

Record ID: 107

Program Affiliation: Capstone

Presentation Type: Video

Abstract: The Green Cincinnati Plan states that to understand the health of our ecosystems we must have a complete biodiversity assessment. In 2021 the Mill Creek Biodiversity Assessment was completed for The Midwest Biodiversity Institute. This assessment was focused on aquatic and semi-aquatic areas, leaving little information about other ecosystems in our city such as woodlands and pastures. There is a sizable gap in the knowledge of which species can be found in Cincinnati and the surrounding areas. Understanding specific species and their niches can help scientists understand the structure of local ecosystems, and better predict changes in them. My research question for this project is: What are the pros and cons of conducting a city wide biodiversity assessment using citizen science? Using public participation to identify and record local species could potentially lead to inaccurate or biased data being recorded. Finding the most effective way to gather data for a biodiversity assessment will be essential for this project to prosper.