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Saving Species

Documentaries

Factual: Science & Nature: Nature & Environment

Examining the world of nature and the challenges of wildlife conservation

Saving Species: Series 3

Saving Species: Series 3: Episode 9: Citizen Science / Giant Harvestman

Episode 9

Episode 9: Citizen Science / Giant Harvestman

Series 3

Citizen Science / Giant Harvestman

BBC Radio 4 - Saving Species, Series 3, Citizen Science / Giant Harvestman

Brett Westwood explores the growing phenomenon of citizen science.

Brett Westwood explores the growing phenomenon of citizen science, the contribution made by amateur naturalists to the understanding of the natural world.

Recently the term Citizen Science has evolved to describe amateurs working with professionals at public events such as Bioblitz events, which were first held in 1996 in Washington DC. These involve an intense period of biological surveying within a defined area and so Brett Westwood travels to Oxford to attend the World's first Urban Bioblitz and find out for himself what over 1000 coordinated events in one weekend hope to achieve. 

But can the amateur really add to the science? Many scientific communities, such as an academic study by Jeremy Thomas (Professor of Ecology at Oxford) and colleagues acknowledged that without the input from these amateur wildlife watchers much of today's understanding of the natural world would be impossible. Brett Westwood discusses this with Dr Helen Roy who has recently been asked to review the benefit of amateur observations for the scientific community.

Meanwhile, Andrew Dawes travels to Sheffield to meet Paul Richards, an invertebrate specialist, who recently found a species of giant harvestman measuring 20 centimetres across at his local bioblitz. But what effect is this alien species having on the native harvestmen, as well as on flora and fauna? 

And Sarah Pitt joins Daniel Hargreaves on the shores of Blagdon Lake in Somerset as he goes in search of the Nathusius' pipistrelle - a small species of bat rarely seen in many parts of the UK.

Also in the programme - News from around the world with our regular news reporter, Kelvin Boot. And we'll update you on the activities of the Open Universities iSpot.

Producer : Mary Colwell
Presenter : Brett Westwood
Editor : Julian Hector.

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Episode 9: Citizen Science / Giant Harvestman

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