Citizen science with Jessie Mulligan on RNZ Afternoons
This year the sailors have also been recruited for a huge science experiment. James Frankham, publisher at New Zealand Geographic and co-founder of Citizens Of The Sea—the charity behind the effort—speaks to Jesse Mulligan on Afternoons.
Press Release: Sailors to revolutionise our understanding of Pacific biodiversity
A new conservation charity is empowering sailors to map marine biodiversity in the Pacific using eDNA sequencing technology that can identify thousands of species from a cup of water, create a 3D model of a coral reef using the camera on their mobile phone, or build a dataset of environmental variables using information on their instruments.
The importance of biodiversity in the South Pacific
The South Pacific Ocean, with its vast expanse of marine ecosystems, is a vital contributor to global biodiversity and ecosystem health. From providing oxygen through marine microbes to sustaining billions of people with seafood, the ocean plays a crucial role in supporting life on Earth.
Revolutionizing ocean research with innovative tools for citizen scientists
Cutting-edge citizen science demands cutting-edge tools to ensure participants collect clean samples and accurate data. Citizens of the Sea has developed new technologies to enable offshore yachts to collect environmental DNA (eDNA) at fast cruising speeds.
Photogrammetry transforms an afternoon snorkel into impactful data
Tropical reefs are labyrinthine structures of sprawling corals, branching sponges, and carpet-like anemones. Thanks to cutting-edge photogrammetric software powered by cloud-computing, we can now accurately map this complex mosaic without disturbing its inhabitants. With training from scientists at Citizens of the Sea, sailors can map the seafloor in three dimensions, turning photos from their snorkeling trips into valuable scientific data.
eDNA is powering a new wave of citizen science
Beneath the waves lies a hidden realm, teeming with secrets. All creatures, from tiny plankton to majestic whales, leave behind traces of their presence in the form of environmental DNA (eDNA). This eDNA acts as a genetic signature, providing scientists with a powerful new tool to understand the distribution of species within our marine ecosystems, without the need for direct observation or capture.