The National Coordinated BioBlitz Project conducts simultaneous rapid biodiversity assessments at and around college campuses across the nation. Originally conceptualized by E.O. Wilson, several BioBlitzes have been executed using science centers and museums as their core organizing facilities. However, the resources available to university faculty and students have significantly reduced the planning effort necessary in organizing these events. Eight universities, representing diverse climates and biota of the United States, conducted a collaborative assessment of sampling and surveying techniques that can be used widely to create a robust data set for analysis of richness measures, diversity indices, and bioindicators to compare the effects on local biodiversity from urban development and climate change. This project utilizes the network of campuses represented by Strategies for Ecology Education, Diversity, and Sustainability (SEEDS) and the citizen science web site EarthTrek for major organizational tools and communication. In as much as this project aims to increase the scientific usefulness of a biodiversity assessment, we also discuss the importance of collaboration in an Action-Oriented Ecology framework and the mechanisms useful for increasing appreciation for environmental stewardship and ownership of local diversity for the surrounding community.
Results/Conclusions
For the first iteration of this project in spring 2009, two campuses participated in the event, University of Michigan and the University of Puerto Rico Bayamon. Emphasis was placed on gaining an understanding on how to organize a coordinated effort at this scale. The University of Michigan had 50 participants take a guided tour during the 5 hour event, identifying over 100 species and producing 42 letters to the Michigan Governor to support an energy policy that was in the legislature at that time. This year proves to be significantly more successful, having had the experience of just one previous year. The eight campuses represent the District of Columbia, California, Florida, Maryland, Michigan, North Carolina, Oregon, and Puerto Rico. Biodiversity indices and community composition of bioindicators have been demonstrated as potential methods to producing scientifically robust citizen science data, but more participating campuses are necessary to increase the conclusive power of the study.
