Can citizen science fill knowledge gaps for the world’s most speciose and poorly-known insular amphibian fauna?

Paul M. Oliver; Anthony Davie-Rieck; Muhammad Imam Ramdani; Jono Dashper; Kukuh Indra Kusuma; Chien C. Lee; Eric Rittmeyer; Matthew J. Clancy; Amir Hamidy; Joseph C. Thompson; Antoine Fouquet; Flavien Ferreira; Stephen J. Richards

doi:10.1071/PC24063

RESEARCH ARTICLE (Open Access)

Next Contents Vol 31(1)

Can citizen science fill knowledge gaps for the world’s most speciose and poorly-known insular amphibian fauna?

Paul M. Oliver

^A ^B ^* , Anthony Davie-Rieck ^A , Muhammad Imam Ramdani ^C , Jono Dashper ^D , Kukuh Indra Kusuma ^E , Chien C. Lee ^F , Eric Rittmeyer ^G , Matthew J. Clancy ^H , Amir Hamidy ^I , Joseph C. Thompson ^J , Antoine Fouquet ^K , Flavien Ferreira ^K and Stephen J. Richards ^L

+ Author Affiliations

- Author Affiliations

^A Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, Griffith University, Nathan, Qld, Australia.

^B Biodiversity and Geosciences, Queensland Museum, South Brisbane, Qld, Australia.

^C Uni Konservasi Fauna, IPB University, Bogor, West Java, Indonesia.

^D VA Sciences, Vermont, Vic 3133, Australia.

^E Freeport Indonesia, Timika, Provinsi Papua Tengah, Indonesia.

^F Institute of Biodiversity and Environmental Conservation, Universiti Malaysia Sarawak, Kota Samarahan, Sarawak, Malaysia.

^G Department of Biology, Niagara University, Lewiston, NY 14109, USA.

^H Snowline Ecology, 2 Finkel Road, Harkaway, Vic 3806, Australia.

^I Laboratory of Herpetology, Museum Zoologicum Bogoriense, Research Center for Biosystematics and Evolution, National Research and Innovation Agency, Bogor, Indonesia.

^J Riseralda, Pereira, Colombia.

^K Centre de Recherche sur la Biodiversité et l’Environnement, UMR 5300, CNRS, IRD, Université Paul Sabatier, Bâtiment 4R1, 118 Route de Narbonne, 31062 cedex 9, Toulouse, France.

^L Herpetology Department, South Australian Museum, North Terrace, Adelaide, SA 5000, Australia.

^* Correspondence to: p.oliver@griffith.edu.au

Handling Editor: Dan Lunney

Pacific Conservation Biology 31, PC24063 https://doi.org/10.1071/PC24063

Submitted: 27 August 2024 Accepted: 4 December 2024 Published: 2 January 2025

© 2025 The Author(s) (or their employer(s)). Published by CSIRO Publishing. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License (CC BY-NC-ND)

Abstract

Context

Tropical regions host the richest, yet most poorly known and threatened concentrations of biodiversity on the planet. Citizen science is increasingly viewed as a strategy to help fill these key data gaps. However, inadequate taxonomic frameworks, social inequities, and poor infrastructure may all constrain this potential.

Aims

To examine how effectively citizen science data from iNaturalist fills gaps in knowledge about the distribution, species richness and conservation status of a megadiverse tropical biota, namely the frogs of Melanesia (New Guinea and nearby islands).

Methods

We identified all records of Melanesian frogs on iNaturalist to species or genus where possible. Species distributions on iNaturalist were then compared to existing distribution maps and records to identify range extensions, and the IUCN Red List conservation status of any species not currently considered Least Concern was assessed based on new distributional information.

Key results

We estimate that around 125 described Melanesian frog species (23% of the total fauna) have been recorded on iNaturalist, including putative range extensions for at least 42 species. Based on these new data we recommend updating IUCN Red List assessments for nearly 20 previously Not Evaluated, Data Deficient, or Vulnerable species. Many records cannot be identified to species, and this issue is compounded by a mismatch between the area best-known scientifically (Papua New Guinea) and the area from which the majority of citizen science records originate (Indonesia).

Conclusions

Citizen science has clear potential to fill some key knowledge gaps for poorly-known tropical biotas, but does not obviate the need for baseline survey and taxonomic work based on voucher specimens with associated tissues.

Implications

Based on our experience, we make recommendations that may increase the impact of citizen science data for poorly-known biotas.

Abstract

Abstrak (Bahasa Indonesia)

Konteks

Wilayah tropis memiliki konsentrasi keanekaragaman hayati yang paling kaya, tetapi paling sedikit diketahui dan paling terancam di planet ini. Citizen science semakin dianggap sebagai strategi untuk membantu mengisi beberapa kesenjangan data ini, namun belum cukupnya kerangka taksonomi, kesenjangan social, dan infrastruktur yang buruk mungkin menghambat potensi ini.

Tujuan

Kami memeriksa kefektifan data Citizen science dari iNaturalist dalam mengisi kesenjangan pengetahuan tentang distribusi, kekayaan jenis, dan status konservasi biota tropis yang sangat beragam, yaitu Katak dari Papua Nugini dan pulau-pulau terdekatnya (Melanesia).

Metode

Jika memungkinkan, kami mengidentifikasi semua catatan katak Melanesia di iNaturalist hingga pada level jenis atau marga. Sebaran jenis pada iNaturalist kemudian dibandingkan dengan peta dan catatan distribusi yang ada untuk mengidentifikasi perluasan wilayah sebaran, dan jenis apa pun yang saat ini tidak dianggap sebagai risiko rendah dalam status konservasi jenis di daftar merah IUCN dinilai berdasarkan informasi distribusinya terbaru.

Hasil utama

Kami memperkirakan bahwa sekitar 125 jenis Katak Melanesia yang telah dideskripsikan (23% dari total fauna) telah tercatat di iNaturalist, termasuk perluasan potensi sebaran untuk setidaknya 42 jenis. Berdasarkan data baru ini, kami merekomendasikan status konservasi IUCN yang diperbarui untuk hampir 20 jenis yang sebelumnya Tidak Dinilai, Kurang Data, atau Rentan. Banyak catatan tidak dapat diidentifikasi hingga ke jenis, dan masalah ini diperparah oleh ketidakcocokan antara wilayah yang paling dikenal secara ilmiah (Papua Nugini) dan wilayah asal sebagian besar catatan citizen science (Indonesia).

Kesimpulan

Citizen science memiliki potensi yang jelas untuk mengisi beberapa kesenjangan pengetahuan utama untuk biota tropis yang kurang dikenal, tetapi tidak menghilangkan kebutuhan akan survei dasar dan pekerjaan taksonomi dengan spesimen voucher.

Implikasi

Berdasarkan pengalaman kami, kami membuat beberapa rekomendasi spesifik yang dapat meningkatkan dampak data citizen science untuk biota yang kurang dikenal.

Keywords: Data Deficient, frogs, iNaturalist, Indonesia, IUCN conservation status, Melanesia, Papua New Guinea, range extension, taxonomy.

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