Projects

The global decline in biodiversity calls for innovative and effective biomonitoring approaches. Modern tools can greatly reduce the amount of fieldwork while generating more comprehensive and informative datasets. Building on the ongoing national research project MULTI-MON: Development of multimodal biodiversity monitoring for (small) wetlands, which integrates soundscapes and environmental DNA (eDNA) methods, the CITI-MON project aims to expand biodiversity monitoring through citizen science and acoustic ecology.

Research has demonstrated that low-cost sound recorders can reliably monitor amphibian communities. These autonomous devices, which record one minute of sound every ten minutes, are inexpensive, easy to operate, and well suited for public participation in scientific research. CITI-MON will engage citizen scientists in all stages of amphibian monitoring to promote their active involvement in long-term conservation.

Project activities are divided into three phases:

1. Field Deployment: autonomous sound recorders will be distributed to citizen scientists, who will receive training on device setup and use. Recorders will operate continuously for up to two months, expanding MULTI-MON monitoring sites to numerous wetlands across Slovenia.
2. Data Analysis: Citizen scientists will be trained to analyze recordings using open-source software and to identify amphibian species by their calls. Each recording will be reviewed by at least two independent citizen scientists to ensure data quality. Researchers will verify discrepancies.
3. Result Synthesis: citizen scientists will participate in interpreting results and be invited to participate in preparing a scientific publication. A framework will be established to maintain collaboration for future citizen science initiatives.

In addition to involving active participants, the project will reach the broader public through a dedicated website, social media, popular science articles, and media outreach. By integrating citizen science and next-generation acoustic monitoring, CITI-MON will enhance biodiversity data collection, foster environmental stewardship, and strengthen public engagement in wetland conservation.

Basic information about the project (ARIS)