Townsville’s citizen scientists deep dive into North Queensland’s rich landscape

For centuries the observations of everyday people have been a positive addition to the scientific world. See how Townsville citizen scientists are pioneering new ways to document the world around them.

Citizen science while scuba diving at John Brewer Reef. Photo: Supplied.

For centuries the observations of everyday people have been a positive addition to the scientific world, now Townsville is pioneering new ways citizen scientists can contribute to our knowledge of Australias landscapes.

With direct access to the Great Barrier Reef and a diverse environment, Townsville is booming with people looking to make sense of the biological world around them and how it is changing.

Professor Adam Smith said Townsville is a leading contributor to this new frontier through the use of databases such as iNaturalist which uses artificial intelligence to identify a wide variety of organisms.

Accessible apps such as iNaturalist enables discussions surrounding the characteristics of different plants and animals but also allows everyday people to be the frontline observers to environmental changes, such as coral bleaching.

“(Citizen scientists are) a huge resource because it’s really expensive to science and scientists can’t be everywhere all the time,” Professor Smith said.

Professor Adam Smith from Townsville. Photo: Supplied.

“In recent years it’s actually boomed and nowadays there’s actually, in some cases, more citizen science data collected by the general public than by professional scientists.”

“The general public can go out there snorkelling or fishing and they can take a photo and provide an early warning, whether it’s on coral bleaching or fish health or something iconic such as a whale shark or humpback whale.”

Professor Smith said the collaborative nature of citizen science allows for people from all walks of life to participate and share knowledge, including traditional owners, school students, retirees or active scientists.

“That’s the beauty of it, everyone sees things differently, from the microscopic to the macroscopic,” he said.

Anyone looking to get involved in citizen science should download the iNaturalist app or head along on tourist or fishing boats to speak to people with knowledge of the area, said Professor Smith.

“By being involved in citizen science, it gives you the power to collect the data and work with other people in the community to understand your environment … it’s incredible,” he said.

Originally published as Townsville’s citizen scientists deep dive into North Queensland’s rich landscape