Researcher: Heather Andrachuk. M.Sc. Candidate
Supervisor: Dr. Steve Murphy, Department of Environment and Resource Studies, University of Waterloo
Summary
Canadian ‘citizen science’ programs like FrogWatch, PlantWatch and PollinatorWatch allow non-scientists to record data on natural phenomena using a simplified sampling protocol that is easy to understand but is hoped will provide meaningful data on these phenomena from across the country. Unfortunately, the accuracy of the data collected from citizen science programs is unknown.
Heather’s research focuses on PollinatorWatch and has two main objectives:
1) to determine the diversity and abundance of bees found in various habitats at rare, and
2) to determine the efficacy of citizen science observations of bees through PollinatorWatch.
Bee diversity at rare will be determined using a plot design along which blue, yellow and white pan traps will be placed out on the property in various locations and along which flowers will be sampled using sweep nets. Citizen science participants will be trained to collect data using the PollinatorWatch protocol. The various data sets will be compared and the results will contribute to the long-term monitoring of bees throughout Canada.