The citizen scientific method: tapping a human natural resource in ecosystem restoration

Citizen science forms a nexus point between research and education, between social outreach and project implementation, and between local knowledge (traditional ecological knowledge) and scientific knowledge. For this reason, citizen science can be a valuable tool to integrate the many different players in ecosystem restoration projects and help projects succeed. Citizen science can increase civic engagement in ecosystem restoration, fill in data gaps, and help make adaptive ecosystem management a real community process. However, significant challenges often impede the ability of citizen science projects to reach their full potential. Here, we discuss trends and insights gained through examining three citizen science case studies on Vashon Island, WA where citizen scientists monitor watershed and shoreline restoration (Salmonwatchers, Vashon Stream Bugs, BeachNET bulkhead removal monitoring). Some challenges found include: long-term sustainability, quality of volunteer training, data management, scientific credibility, and communicating project effectiveness to resource managers, funding organizations, and the public. Preliminary findings indicate four main factors crucial to success: strong local leadership and organization of volunteers; common vision and ambitious goals shared between volunteers, resource managers, and scientists; involvement of resource managers and scientists in the creation of citizen science projects and in the volunteer training process; and the use of multiple creative forums (like science pub talks, school-based TED talks, citizen stewardship committees) that promote communication between volunteers, resource managers, scientists, and the community. We describe some “citizen scientific methods” or tools that put the above factors for success into play

Students can sort stream bugs and change watershed management: a case study from Shinglemill Creek, Vashon Island

Building on 7 previous years of data collected by King County and available on the Puget Sound Stream Benthos website, Vashon Nature Center LLC, worked with King County Groundwater Protection Committee, and local middle and high school students to solve the mystery: why does Shinglemill Creek have low B-IBI scores? Testing the hypothesis that erosion may be affecting stream scores, scientists from VNC took aquatic invertebrate samples in two tributaries of Shinglemill Creek—one tributary with high erosion and landslide activity and one with very little erosion. With the help of 6 expert scientists, over 100 students sorted samples to order, calculated a rough B-IBI score, and explored the samples for differences in the invertebrate communities. There were some signs of impacts due to erosion. However, surprisingly, students found a large difference in mayfly richness and composition between the two tributaries leading to the discovery that one tributary drained ¼ of downtown Vashon (including a parking lot popular for student held car washes) and that low mayfly richness could indicate impact from heavy metal run-off. Students presented their findings to the KCGWPC and instigated a cascade of management discussions and actions the first of which is purchasing car wash kits to filter water before it is released to Shinglemill Creek. With the right level of support, students thrive when presented with real life science problems and can make a difference in watershed management

Habitat structure and alarm call dialects in Gunnison\u27s prairie dog (Cynomys gunnisoni)

We examined the relationship between habitat structure and alarm call characteristics in six colonies of Gunnison’s prairie dogs (Cynomys gunnisoni) near Flagstaff, Arizona, before and after a mid-summer vegetation change. We found significant differences in alarm call characteristics between colonies, confirming the existence of alarm call dialects. Differences in frequency components but not temporal components of calls were associated with differences in habitat structure. Playback experiments revealed that differences in alarm call structure affected acoustic transmission of calls through the local habitat. Thus, we identify habitat structure as one factor that may contribute to alarm call differences between colonies of Gunnison’s prairie dogs. Relationships between call characteristics and habitat structure changed over seasons. Playback experiments suggested that this changing relationship could reflect a change in the purpose of the alarm call between early and late summer. Some components of alarm calls seem tailored for attenuation over short distances in the early summer but for long-distance transmission at summer’s end. These differences might arise because pups stay close to their natal burrows in the early summer and disperse throughout a colony in late summer. Alternatively, these differences in alarm call transmission between seasons could be caused by the increase in vegetation in the mid-summer. At the end of the summer prairie dogs could be more dependent on long-distance antipredator calls to offset the loss of visibility caused by the increase in vegetation in the late summe

Shoreline armoring in the Puget Sound: impacts on key habitat characteristics and prey availability for juvenile salmon in the Maury Island Aquatic Reserve

Shoreline armoring is widespread in the Puget Sound, Washington, but the impacts on the biological features of nearshore ecosystems have only recently begun to be documented. Shoreline armoring disrupts the connection between marine and terrestrial ecosystems along the shoreline and can decrease the availability of prey resources for juvenile salmon. Most previous work has been conducted in highly urban areas, and this study aims to strengthen our understanding of residentially-developed, high-bank shorelines characteristic of the central Puget Sound. Here we determine differences in shoreline vegetation, terrestrial insect assemblages, wrack coverage and composition, and fish assemblages between armored and unarmored beaches. Citizen scientists with Vashon Nature Center’s BeachNET program collected data in the summers of 2016 and 2017 at three beaches following protocols from the Washington Sea Grant’s Shoreline Monitoring Toolbox. Forage fish spawning surveys from 2016 suggest that natural shorelines host a greater diversity of spawning fish at these sites. Preliminary results from snorkel surveys indicate higher abundance and diversity of fish at natural beaches. Furthermore, natural beaches appear to have more terrestrial vegetation, more native plant species, and increased terrestrial invertebrates. Further analysis will compare abundance and taxa richness of invertebrates, focusing on key juvenile salmon prey species. This study suggests shoreline armoring may alter shoreline conditions and decrease the availability of prey resources for key juvenile salmon species in residentially-developed shorelines of the Puget Sound

Global variation in postoperative mortality and complications after cancer surgery: a multicentre, prospective cohort study in 82 countries

© 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 licenseBackground: 80% of individuals with cancer will require a surgical procedure, yet little comparative data exist on early outcomes in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs). We compared postoperative outcomes in breast, colorectal, and gastric cancer surgery in hospitals worldwide, focusing on the effect of disease stage and complications on postoperative mortality. Methods: This was a multicentre, international prospective cohort study of consecutive adult patients undergoing surgery for primary breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer requiring a skin incision done under general or neuraxial anaesthesia. The primary outcome was death or major complication within 30 days of surgery. Multilevel logistic regression determined relationships within three-level nested models of patients within hospitals and countries. Hospital-level infrastructure effects were explored with three-way mediation analyses. This study was registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03471494. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and Jan 31, 2019, we enrolled 15 958 patients from 428 hospitals in 82 countries (high income 9106 patients, 31 countries; upper-middle income 2721 patients, 23 countries; or lower-middle income 4131 patients, 28 countries). Patients in LMICs presented with more advanced disease compared with patients in high-income countries. 30-day mortality was higher for gastric cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (adjusted odds ratio 3·72, 95% CI 1·70–8·16) and for colorectal cancer in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (4·59, 2·39–8·80) and upper-middle-income countries (2·06, 1·11–3·83). No difference in 30-day mortality was seen in breast cancer. The proportion of patients who died after a major complication was greatest in low-income or lower-middle-income countries (6·15, 3·26–11·59) and upper-middle-income countries (3·89, 2·08–7·29). Postoperative death after complications was partly explained by patient factors (60%) and partly by hospital or country (40%). The absence of consistently available postoperative care facilities was associated with seven to 10 more deaths per 100 major complications in LMICs. Cancer stage alone explained little of the early variation in mortality or postoperative complications. Interpretation: Higher levels of mortality after cancer surgery in LMICs was not fully explained by later presentation of disease. The capacity to rescue patients from surgical complications is a tangible opportunity for meaningful intervention. Early death after cancer surgery might be reduced by policies focusing on strengthening perioperative care systems to detect and intervene in common complications. Funding: National Institute for Health Research Global Health Research Unit

Effects of hospital facilities on patient outcomes after cancer surgery: an international, prospective, observational study

© 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd. This is an Open Access article under the CC BY 4.0 licenseBackground: Early death after cancer surgery is higher in low-income and middle-income countries (LMICs) compared with in high-income countries, yet the impact of facility characteristics on early postoperative outcomes is unknown. The aim of this study was to examine the association between hospital infrastructure, resource availability, and processes on early outcomes after cancer surgery worldwide. Methods: A multimethods analysis was performed as part of the GlobalSurg 3 study—a multicentre, international, prospective cohort study of patients who had surgery for breast, colorectal, or gastric cancer. The primary outcomes were 30-day mortality and 30-day major complication rates. Potentially beneficial hospital facilities were identified by variable selection to select those associated with 30-day mortality. Adjusted outcomes were determined using generalised estimating equations to account for patient characteristics and country-income group, with population stratification by hospital. Findings: Between April 1, 2018, and April 23, 2019, facility-level data were collected for 9685 patients across 238 hospitals in 66 countries (91 hospitals in 20 high-income countries; 57 hospitals in 19 upper-middle-income countries; and 90 hospitals in 27 low-income to lower-middle-income countries). The availability of five hospital facilities was inversely associated with mortality: ultrasound, CT scanner, critical care unit, opioid analgesia, and oncologist. After adjustment for case-mix and country income group, hospitals with three or fewer of these facilities (62 hospitals, 1294 patients) had higher mortality compared with those with four or five (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 3·85 [95% CI 2·58–5·75]; p<0·0001), with excess mortality predominantly explained by a limited capacity to rescue following the development of major complications (63·0% vs 82·7%; OR 0·35 [0·23–0·53]; p<0·0001). Across LMICs, improvements in hospital facilities would prevent one to three deaths for every 100 patients undergoing surgery for cancer. Interpretation: Hospitals with higher levels of infrastructure and resources have better outcomes after cancer surgery, independent of country income. Without urgent strengthening of hospital infrastructure and resources, the reductions in cancer-associated mortality associated with improved access will not be realised. Funding: National Institute for Health and Care Research