On January 24, 2024, Blu attended the 2024 Animal Behavior and Ecology Symposium, where experts from a wide range of fields gathered to share their work on a variety of topics. Among those invited to present was the BlueTrend editorial team, who had the honor of sharing a talk titled "When Citizens Meet Science." Through the presentations of project coordinator Coach A-Xian and database planning specialist Yu-Han, attendees learned about the original vision behind the project and the reasons for building a database. Read on with Blu to find out more!
The Vision Behind the Project
People take up scuba diving for all sorts of reasons. Blu has heard them all — some dive to clear their minds and enjoy a moment of silence; others go in to conduct research surveys; and still others dive simply to seek out beautiful marine life and photograph it.
Coach A-Xian put it this way: "Whenever I spotted a beautiful or unusual creature underwater, I'd snap a photo on the spot — but I often had no idea what it was. Back on shore, even the instructors around me rarely knew the scientific name. Then one day, I happened to share a photo with a marine researcher, and their reaction was something like: 'Wow! This is a species that has never been recorded in Taiwan — and you just went ahead and documented it.'"
A previously undiscovered species from the family Latreiliidae. Photo credit: Jason Lin.
Nakedchest waspfish Ablabys gymnothorax. Photo credit: Jason Lin.
Divers who go underwater regularly may casually photograph a species that has never been officially recorded — yet never know it, simply because they don't recognize the scientific name. Researchers, on the other hand, rarely have time to dive frequently, and therefore struggle to accumulate a wide range of species photographs. If these two complementary needs could be brought together — each filling the gap left by the other — why wouldn't we?
The Challenges of Becoming a Marine Citizen Scientist
Marine citizen science is an approach to scientific observation that invites members of the public to participate in data collection across different locations and over time. Through statistical analysis of reported data, this kind of participation can enrich marine databases and strengthen ocean monitoring capacity. That said, becoming a marine citizen scientist is no easy feat. There are three main reasons why:
-
A certain level of diving ability is required: Marine citizen scientists need to be able to dive in order to capture clear images of marine life. While outdoor activities are becoming increasingly popular, finding partners with diving skills remains a challenge, as the sport has yet to go mainstream.
-
Basic underwater photography skills are needed: Beyond diving ability, marine citizen scientists also need a foundational understanding of underwater photography. The underwater environment differs significantly from land-based photography — light refraction, buoyancy control, and visibility are all factors that directly affect the quality of the images captured.
-
Uploading photos can feel like a hassle: Most databases today are cloud-based. Feedback has shown that while many divers take a large number of photos during a dive, the additional step of "uploading to the database" after surfacing is enough of a friction point that most people end up leaving their photos stored on their camera's memory card.
Citizen Science Biodiversity Monitoring
What Are Qualitative and Quantitative Methods?
| Qualitative | Quantitative | |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | A general survey conducted freely within an area, recording observed species occurrences, community composition, or notable behaviors. | Sampling multiple independent plots of equal area within a region, then recording the species types and numbers found within each specific plot. |
| Scope | No defined boundaries. | Defined boundaries required. |
| Frequency & Time | No set sampling frequency or timing. | Repeated sampling at defined intervals. |
| Advantages | Can collect observations across a broad range of areas and species. | Constrains data collection to a defined sampling area for consistency. |
| Disadvantages | Cannot provide precise, comparable data. | Limited to species records within the sampling area. |
| Examples | 1. Species checklist surveys. 2. Life history studies. 3. Specific behavioral observations. | 1. Substrate distribution. 2. Biological resource assessments. 3. Individual counts and biomass measurements. |
Qualitative data provides richer detail, allowing for a deeper understanding of the factors behind each observation. Quantitative data, on the other hand, enables trends to be identified and research hypotheses to be tested by accumulating a sufficient volume of results.
The goal is to use the marine citizen science database to foster broad public participation — creating a win-win-win outcome in which citizen science becomes something every individual can practice. We hope that together, we can leave behind an ever-growing record of precious marine life for this beautiful ocean, and witness meaningful change unfolding before our eyes.
Why Build a Marine Life Database?
For Photographers
Sardine run in Bohol. Photo credit: 簡晨宇.
When an underwater photographer surfaces, their workflow typically looks something like this:
-
Pick the best shot and start editing.
-
Some photographers submit to competitions or post to Facebook.
So what happens to the rest of the photos? Are they deleted outright, or left archived on a memory card forever? Could one of those casually discarded images actually be an extraordinary, never-before-seen shot?
For Researchers
Academic researchers are typically so occupied with their work that they rarely have enough time to dive and photograph marine life themselves. With an integrated database, they could quickly search for relevant records whenever needed — enabling efficient and effective collection of photographic data. Every image uploaded has the potential to become a valuable piece of research evidence.
| Sharing Photos on Social Media | Building a Database | |
|---|---|---|
| Data Management | 1. Platforms cannot require uploaders to fill in data fields. 2. Data cannot be exported from social platforms in bulk. | 1. Data formats can be standardized for readability. 2. Systematic organization saves significant manual effort. |
| Community Identification | Anyone can join in identifying species, but without moderation, misinformation is likely. | 1. A community identification mechanism puts the spirit of citizen science into practice. 2. A researcher review system reduces data error rates. |
| Ease of Upload | Extremely convenient — just post a photo. | More complex to upload; many users give up as a result. |
While social media allows for quick and convenient photo sharing, systematic data management is far more valuable in the long run. Looking ahead, the hope is to support multiple languages and extend the database's reach globally — allowing divers from around the world to contribute species photographs from their own local waters.
Thresher Shark at Malapascua. Photo credit: 簡晨宇.
Marine Citizen Science Database Policy
-
The database is for display purposes only; copyright remains with the uploader.
-
Photos cannot be downloaded via right-click, protecting copyright. Any third-party use requires the uploader's consent.
Join Us as a Marine Citizen Scientist
Since 2021, BlueTrend has been working to build a marine citizen science database, harnessing the power of the public to gradually piece together foundational marine biodiversity data for Taiwan.
This year, courses will be offered in various regions, and we hope to welcome more partners into the marine citizen science community. Together, let's work to protect that shimmering, deep-blue sea!
Further Reading:
