Data-validation solutions for citizen science data on invasive alien species: Tailoring validation tools for the JRC app "Invasive Alien Species in Europe
Adriaens, T.; Tricarico, E.; Reyserhove, L.; Cardoso, A.C.; Gervasini, E.; Lopez Canizares, C.; Mitton, I.; Schade, S.; Spinelli, F.A.; Tsiamis, K. (2021). Data-validation solutions for citizen science data on invasive alien species: Tailoring validation tools for the JRC app "Invasive Alien Species in Europe. JRC Scientific and Technical Reports, 26140. Publications Office of the European Union: Luxembourg. ISBN 978-92-76-42055-2. 31 pp. https://dx.doi.org/10.2760/ 694386
Part of: JRC Scientific and Technical Reports. Publications Office of the European Union: Luxembourg. ISSN 1018-5593; e-ISSN 1831-9424
Invasive Alien Species (IAS) constitute one of the main drivers of biodiversity loss globally. Citizen Science (CS) can play a role in influencing the way in which society values biodiversity and can contribute by collecting valuable data. The involvement of the public in IAS recording through CS initiatives using innovative smartphone applications (apps) already complement several existing official surveillance systems in EU Member States. However, the quality of data may hinder the use of CS data for early warning, management and control of IAS. The Joint Research Centre has developed a smartphone app called “Invasive Alien Species in Europe” (JRC IAS app), allowing users to report the presence of IAS of Union concern (EU Regulation 1143/2014) in Europe. The JRC Proof of Concept project “CS data supporting IAS policy in Europe” aims at consolidating the framework for CS IAS data in Europe. Towards this objective, it explores automated solutions for validation of IAS records from the JRC IAS app. The current report includes the description of available tools for IAS validation. Information on currently applied validation strategies and mechanisms was retrieved from existing CS portals. The report describes aspects of data quality in European and global CS portals and how validation of IAS records is carried out. In addition, a refined validation procedure for the JRC IAS app is proposed, taking into account specific taxa and the applicability of methods and tools that are used in similar portals and projects. Further development of a refined validation procedure is expected to increase the quality of the data for science, policy and management, to improve the feedback to and engagement of volunteer recorders, to assist data validators in performing record checks, and eventually to increase the use of the JRC IAS app.
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