Launching systematic long-term monitoring by citizen science for birds in the Yangmingshan National Park
Date Issued
2024-01-22
Author(s)
范孟雯
Abstract
Systematic citizen science is a crucial tool for assessing the status and trends of specific species, taxa, environmental health, and for broadly measuring conservation effectiveness. Despite its significance, there is a discernible gap in utilizing systematic citizen science to assess conservation efficiency through population and indicator trajectories in Taiwan' s protected areas, as well as in evaluating the efficacy of volunteer training. To address this, a robust long-term monitoring mechanism was instituted within Yangmingshan National Park, grounded in a systematic citizen science protocol. This approach utilized survey data to ascertain the population trajectories of individual and multi-species bird indicators. Sixteen survey transects, each containing at least six survey points within the park’s trail system, were established, with comprehensive bird surveys conducted quarterly. In 2022, surveys recorded 5,013 individual birds across 77 species. A significant disparity in bird abundance was noted between the northern region and the western and eastern regions, with no significant variation be-tween grasslands and forests. The first quarter emerged as the period with the highest bird abundance and species richness. In terms of population trajectories, one species showed significant growth, while the majority showed non-significant changes, and a minority reflected a significant decline. The multi-species indicator, the “Forest Bird Indicator of Yangmingshan National Park,”showed no significant change. After ten training workshops, a marked improvement was noted in participants’ scores, with the majority being able to correctly identify most species post-training. Continuous efforts to enhance survey techniques and identification skills have bolstered data quality.
The establishment of a comprehensive bird monitoring system, integrating various survey and analysis methods while concurrently training personnel, has facilitated the long-term monitoring of shifts in bird diversity within protected areas. This reflects environmental fluctuations and underlines conservation effectiveness, thereby highlighting the pivotal role of systematic citizen science in these vital areas.
Event(s)
2024 Congress of Animal Behavior & Ecology
2024年動物行為暨生態研討會
Subjects
aves
composite indicators
community science
protected areas
Taiwan
Publisher
中央研究院生物多樣性研究中心
Description
Taipei, Taiwan
Type
conference paper