1. Citizen Science’s contribution to GEO BON
Laetitia M. Navarro
GEO BON Executive Secretary
I wanted to thank the organizers for inviting me and giving me the opportunity to present GEO BON's perspective on Citizen Science.
GEO XIV, Washington DC

2. GEO BON in a nutshell GEO Flagship
Mission Improve the acquisition, coordination and delivery of biodiversity observations and related services to users including decision makers and the scientific community.
GEO Flagship
But before doing this, I will briefly present you what GEO BON is. For those of you that are not familiar, GEO BON is the Group on Earth Observations Biodiversity Observation Network. Our mission is to [...]. Ultimately, our vision is to build a globally coordinated biodiversity observation network that can contribute to effective management policies for biodiversity and ES.
Vision A global biodiversity observation network that contributes to effective management policies for the world’s biodiversity and ecosystem services.

3. A Global Partnership
Our secretariat is based in Germany but we are a global partnership with too many partners to actually fit on this slide.

4. Producing Policy Relevant Outputs
GEO BON core focus
Developing a standard and flexible framework for biodiversity observations
Producing Policy Relevant Outputs
And our activities are organized around two key components : the development of a standard and flexible framework for biodiversity observations; and the support of the development of biodiversity observation networks.
Both of which are meant to contribute to the production of policy relevant outputs.
Supporting the development of Biodiversity Observation Networks

5. Biodiversity Observation Framework: the Essential Biodiversity Variables
EBVs: Minimum set of measurements, complementary to one another, that can capture major dimensions of biodiversity change.
EBVs
Users
National Governments
We are developing the framework for biodiversity observation by developing the Essential Biodiversity Variables or EBVs. They are defined as [...]. One level of integration between the biodiversity observations (obtained either in situ, or via remote sensing) and the high level indicators that are needed by countries to report on progress towards the Aichi targets of the CBD for instance.
They are organized in 6 classes: genetic diversity, species populations, species traits, community composition, ecosystem function and ecosystem structure.
Kissling et al., (2017)
Biological Reviews

6. From Citizen Science to EBVs
 Acquisition, Mobilization of biodiversity observations
Genetic Composition
e.g. Allelic diversity
Species Populations
e.g. Species distribution
Species Traits
e.g. Body size, phenology
Community Composition
e.g. Species interactions
Ecosystem Structure
e.g. Ecosystem extent
Ecosystem Functions
e.g. Disturbance
Global
The biodiversity observations used to produce EBVs come from many different sources (e.g. remote sensing, in-situ monitoring, eDNA).
Clearly, there is an opportunity for citizen Science to contribute to the acquisition of in-situ biodiversity observations (e.g. eBird) or the mobilization of data (e.g. cataloging museum collection, photo-identification, Zooniverse).
So I wanted to give you an example of citizen science projects that can or could contribute to the development of the Essential Biodiversity variables.
Zooniverse
Global

7. From Citizen Science to EBVs
Global
Portugal
Global
Global
Probably the class that can be supported by a wide range of CS projects is Species populations (e.g. Species distribution, population abundance).
Projects are both global like Coral Watch, or national such as Biodiversity4all in portugal.
Species Populations
e.g. Species distribution,
Population abundances
Observado
Global
Global
Zooniverse
Global
Global

8. From Citizen Science to EBVs
Global
Portugal
Several of the projects that produce data relevant to develop Species Populations EBVs can also be used for Community Composition variables.
Community Composition
e.g. Species interactions
Global
Zooniverse
Global
Observado
Global

9. From Citizen Science to EBVs
India
Zooniverse
Global
Global
There are also some projects that are producing important data to develop Species Traits EBVs (e.g. Body Size, Phenology). Important considering the fact that although there are traits databases for several taxa, it doesn't mean that there are time series on those traits. So having citizen scientists involved in the acquisition of data for species traits would be very important.
Species Traits
e.g. Body size, phenology
France

10. Challenges: Data standards for interoperability
I wanted to say a few words about data standards.
We have been working actively with GBIF to promote the use of a new standard, the Darwin Event Core that allows to inform fields such as ”organism quantity” and to connect sampling events within the same study. In other words, that can allow us for instance to produce time series, including of population sizes. Which is crucial to produce Species Populations EBVs.
--> lot to gain from promoting the use of common standards, including with CS projects.

11. Opportunities: Biodiversity Observation Networks
Contribute to the collection and analysis of harmonised biodiversity observations, the development of integrated and interoperable biodiversity monitoring programs, the development of data standards.
National and Regional BONs
BON Endorsement
As I mentioned earlier, our second core focus is the development of Biodiversity Observation Networks, or BONs. Their role is to [...]. They are organized at different scales [...].
 Citizen observatories could and should become important actors of those BONs.
In fact if I take the example of the China BON, they have developed a monitoring Scheme for amphibians, birds, mammals, butterflied and vascular plants, with about 9000 transects and point counts over 440 sites and citizen scientists are important actors of the massive monitoring program.
Thematic BONs
Marine BON (MBON)
Freshwater BON (FWBON)

12. Opportunities: Capacity building
BON in a Box to support the development of national BONs, for capacity building.
BON in a Box to support the development of national BONs, for capacity building and knowledge exchange.
 Platform to share protocols and standards from CS initiatives. Enhance capacity building.

13. If you want to know more
The content of this talk was largely inspired by:
Open Access

14. For more information:
@GEOBON_org