BIODIVERSITY | Determining Spatial Distribution of Urban and Non-urban Birds in NCR

Summary

The COVID-19 pandemic has spurred a significant increase in citizen science participation, particularly in the Philippines. With lockdowns reducing human activity, researchers observed changes in bird populations using eBird data. The study, conducted by Stephen Kapitan and colleagues from De La Salle University in Manila, analyzed over 200,000 bird observations from 2018 to 2020. It revealed that 66 urban and non-urban bird species' abundances increased in lockdown areas, suggesting that reduced human disturbance and traffic could benefit birdlife. The findings underscore the importance of citizen science in advancing conservation efforts and the potential for urban spaces to become more bird-friendly post-pandemic.

Takeaways

• 🌐 The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly increased participation in citizen science, particularly in the Philippines.
• 🔍 Citizen scientists, including amateurs, are collecting data on various subjects, such as birds and plants, to assist scientists during lockdowns.
• 🐦 A study titled 'Determining the Spatial Distribution of Urban and Non-Urban Birds in NCR Philippines' was conducted using eBird data before and during the pandemic.
• 📉 The pandemic led to a decrease in human movement, which may have positively impacted wildlife, including birds, by reducing air pollution and noise.
• 📈 Over 200,000 bird observations were recorded by volunteers from January 2018 to December 2020 across the Philippines.
• 📊 The study found that 66 focal urban and non-urban bird species saw changes in their counts, with abundances typically increasing in urban habitats during lockdowns.
• 🗺️ The spatial distribution map created by the researchers suggests that human activities impact many of the NCR's urban and non-urban bird populations.
• 🚦 The study proposes that making urban spaces more attractive to birds could be achieved by reducing traffic and mitigating human transportation disturbances.
• 🌿 The term 'anthropause' was coined to describe the significant reduction in human activity during the pandemic, which may have had various consequences for other species.
• 🔬 The research highlights the importance of eBird data as a citizen science tool, which can be used to assist in conservation research and expand knowledge about the Philippine avifauna.

Q & A

How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted the participation in citizen science?

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a significant increase in participation in citizen science, with millions of amateurs around the world gathering information on various subjects, including COVID-19, at the request of institutional researchers.

What is the role of citizen science in advancing science and conservation in the Philippines?

Citizen science plays a crucial role in advancing science and conservation in the Philippines by enabling non-specialists to collect data and perform simple analyses, aiding researchers who are unable to conduct fieldwork due to the pandemic.

What is the significance of the study titled 'Determining the Spatial Distribution of Urban and Non-Urban Birds in NCR Philippines'?

This study is significant as it investigates the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on bird populations in urban and non-urban areas of the National Capital Region (NCR) in the Philippines, using data from citizen scientists.

How did the researchers collect data for the study on bird distribution during the pandemic?

The researchers used data from eBird, a citizen science platform, to collect observations of bird species made by volunteers from January 2018 to December 2020 across the Philippines.

What were the findings regarding the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on bird species in the NCR?

The study found that the abundance of 66 focal urban and non-urban bird species changed in pandemic-affected areas, with counts typically increasing in urban habitats, especially in cities where lockdowns were more pronounced or coincided with peak bird migration.

What is the term 'anthropause' and how does it relate to the study?

The term 'anthropause' refers to the significant reduction in human activity during the pandemic. The study suggests that this reduction may have had various consequences for other species, including a potential temporary benefit for urban birds due to reduced traffic and human disturbance.

What recommendations did the researchers make for local governments in the NCR regarding bird species?

The researchers recommended that local governments in the NCR monitor bird populations and develop programs to ensure the safety and well-being of threatened, vulnerable, and endangered bird species.

How does the study utilize eBird data to inform conservation efforts?

The study uses eBird data to provide a visual representation of bird abundance in urban areas, which can guide conservation efforts by identifying areas where bird populations are concentrated and may be affected by human activities.

What was the methodology used to ensure that the bird observations were not influenced by changes in volunteer behavior during the pandemic?

To ensure that the observations were not influenced by changes in volunteer behavior, the researchers subsampled the available eBird checklists to ensure no differences in sampling effort, location, or other attributes between pre-pandemic and pandemic periods.

What is the importance of citizen science platforms like eBird in conservation research?

Citizen science platforms like eBird are important in conservation research as they allow for the collection of large amounts of data from a diverse group of participants, which can be used to monitor and understand the impacts of human activities on wildlife populations.