List of Abstracts CitSci 2023

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1	Presenting Author's Name	Presentation Title	Co-Author(s) Name	Abstract

2	Peeyush Sekhsaria	Citizen Rain Gauging for Education		In an earlier presentation on a citizen rain gauging exercise in Pune city that I was part of, one of the findings was that children take to rain gauging enthusiastically and it is an excellent, low cost education tool. Using three citizen rain gauging initiatives – ‘Varun Mitra’ (rain friend) with over 40 participants largely in Pune city and its surroundings, ‘Bhijuya Mojuya’ (get wet and measure) a citizen rain gauging exercise spread across Maharashtra and a network of improvised rain and river gauges along the 75-kilometre Meenachil River in Kerala where school children, teachers and other residents take measurements this talk will explore what are the opportunities and challenges citizen based rain gauging provides for education of children and as an extension of teachers, schools and even beyond on the phenomena of monsoons, the weather, water security and climate change. The talk will try to address the questions – What are there some of the challenges?; Is it just a lack of initiative?, What are the enabling mechanisms? and a few others. The talk will be based on the study of the three earlier mentioned initiatives, interactions with participants, especially children, parents and teachers. The talk will also cover some other similar initiatives, national and/or international that throw light on how citizen rain gauging can be best used for education.
3	Pradyut Baireddy	Butterflies of Hyderabad and Surrounding Area: Observations of a Young Insect Enthusiast		OBJECTIVE: The objective was to observe and record the various species of butterflies that can be found in and around Hyderabad and contribute to baseline biodiversity data and future research. METHODS: This study was conducted over the course of four years from July 2019 to October 2023. Observations were made and photographs taken during visits to various public green spaces in Hyderabad- Sanjeevaiah Park, Telecom Nagar, KBR National Park, Sri Kotla Vijayabhaskara Reddy Botanical Garden, Golconda Fort, Nehru Zoological Park, and surrounding areas- Rachakonda, Yadadri Bhuvanagiri district and Aziz Nagar, Rangareddy district. RESULTS: The landscape predominantly consisted of urban gardens and scrub forests. A total of 91 species from 5 families were recorded. There were 8 Papilionids, 18 Pierids, 27 Nymphalids, 30 Lycaenids, and 8 Hesperids. It is of note that two species (Hypolimnas missipus and Pachliopta hector) categorized as Schedule I and three species belonging to Schedule II (Hypolimnas missipus, Euchrysops cnejus, and Lampides boeticus) of the Indian Wildlife Protection Act, 1972 were observed commonly. A single observation was made for each of Large Oakblue (Arhopala amantes) and Dingy Lineblue (Petrelaea dana), species that are common in rainforests and are not usually associated with the habitat types of Hyderabad.
4	Swati Sidhu	Campus Phenology Network: Updates from a young network	Saranya N	Campus Phenology Network aims to be a peer group network of educational campuses from across the country asking the following question - How does climate change affect tree phenology? With this in mind we hope to inculcate a scientific temper among undergraduate students and foster a sense of collaborative spirit in their research approach through tree monitoring and data collection. Educational campuses: 1) offer excellent opportunities to view tree phenological changes under various eco-climatic conditions, 2) offer long-term refuges to a mix of native and exotic trees, 3) are where the current generation with access to information and devices spends much of their time.. The first phase of this cohort started on 1 April 2023 and runs for a period of one year, ending on 31 March 2024. Until September-end, 36 campuses had contributed over 5600 observations from 12 states. While this is a good start, what will make this network truly collaborative goes beyond the amount of data. How can we encourage more ownership of the network among group members? At the end of the year, we plan to have skill-building workshops for data analysis and visualization - something the students find valuable. To get there we need to ensure not only that we have sufficient data coming in but also have an active group with a sustained interest in tree monitoring. We look forward to discussing this and get suggestions from the conference participants.
5	Harini C	Macrofauna of Stella Maris College - A Preliminary Study	S.A. Vidhya	We investigated macrofauna in five distinct sites at Stella Maris College, Chennai over a period of four months. We used direct field observation and photo documentation to record macrofauna including invertebrates and vertebrates. All observations were uploaded to inaturalist.org. We identified the macrofauna based on standard field guides and experts on and off inaturalist. Our study revealed that the habitats within the college, such as gardens, lawns, and open areas with large trees supported a wide range of macrofauna communities. Long term observation and extension of the study area to other sites on campus will improve our understanding of the macrofauna and the pivotal role they play in our ecosystem.
6	Anagha S and Annette B Sebastian	Ants of Stella Maris College	S.A. Vidhya	As students of Sociology and Zoology in Stella Maris College, we undertook a weeklong observation of ant colonies around campus. This was carried out as part of our interdisciplinary course Socioethnozoology. We used direct field observation, photo and video documentation in order to gain insights on ant morphology, behaviour and social structure. We uploaded ant photographs to iNaturalist, a citizen science website and were thus able to identify the various species we had located on campus. We were able to identify 13 species of ants on campus and simultaneously understand the differences in the morphology within each species, according to their roles and duties. During our observations, we were mesmerised by the intricate social hierarchical structure within the ant colony. This society revealed a complex web of roles and responsibilities, where each ant played a specific part. The diversity within the colony was remarkable wherein each had its own unique functions and contributions to the colony's survival. They moved with purpose and determination, carrying out their tasks with precision, whether it was foraging for food, building the nest, or maintaining their colonies.
7	Ram Dayal Vaishnav	Celebrating India's Citizens Collab for City Nature Challenge!	Priya Venkatesh	Let’s celebrate India's exemplary performance in the City Nature Challenge 2023. This year, 35 Indian cities participated in this global endeavour to document urban biodiversity, and Hyderabad emerged as a global standout, securing the 12th position among 482 cities worldwide. This citizen science initiative aimed to document urban wildlife and engage the community in environmental conservation. Leveraging the iNaturalist app, 1,318 observers from India collectively uploaded 88,294 observations from across 5,200 species. Out of these, 30,367 observations were recorded in Hyderabad alone over the four days of the event. Hyderabad was followed by other Indian cities like Nanakmatta, Bangalore Metropolitan Region, Chennai, and Kolkata, showcasing the nation's enthusiasm for documenting urban wildlife. An outstanding feat was the inclusion of numerous endangered species and a few significant firsts—species documented for the first time and previously unrecorded on the iNaturalist platform. This collective effort underscores India's significant contribution to the global understanding of urban biodiversity. Hyderabad's achievement serves as an inspiration, highlighting the potential of citizen science in enriching our knowledge of the natural world, advocating for sustainable urban development, and promoting a harmonious coexistence between humans and nature. As we prepare for CNC 2023, we are striving to witness even greater participation from India and eagerly invite all of you to join us in securing a place for a few Indian cities in the top 10 list.
8	Ahirbudhnyan M	Role of education and awareness in amphibian monitoring: lessons from Monsoon Croaks bio blitz 2023	Dr. Balakrishnan Peroth, Joseph Justine, Ashik. M.E, Nithin Divakar, Deepak. K	Research question: How education and awareness programmes help in the participatory monitoring of elusive animals?; Background and purpose: Amphibians, the most elusive vertebrates, threatened due to habitat loss, climate change, and human activities and are challenging to monitor. Participatory mapping and monitoring, paired with education and awareness programs, are essential for enhancing information about their distribution.; Methodology: We launched "Monsoon Croaks Bio blitz 2023" on iNaturalist platform to collect amphibian observations in Kerala from June 3 to October 2, during the southwest monsoon. We promoted the initiative on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube, sharing informative content and inviting public participation. Newspaper articles were published, and we organized an education and awareness workshop at KVASU, Pookode.; Results and conclusion: About 180 participants submitted 1,171 observations of 79 amphibian species across the state. The Wayanad bush frog (Pseudophilautus wynaadensis), an endangered species, and the Asian common toad (Duttaphrynus melanostictus) were the most frequently recorded. The observations included three critically endangered, nine endangered, seven vulnerable, and five near threatened species. Additionally, seven species were data deficient, and 23 were not listed or assessed. Only 64 species were accurately identified overall. Interestingly, the identification accuracy was higher for species observed on the KVASU campus, where an educational program was conducted. This highlights the impact of participant education on data quality in citizen science projects. The project's results emphasize the importance of involving the public in monitoring amphibian species, providing crucial data for conserving threatened species and their habitats.
9	Suhirtha Muhil Maheswaran	Facilitating climate change education through citizen science	Geetha Ramaswami, Swati Sidhu	The need and urgency to incorporate climate change education in schools is crucial, as we begin to experience rapidly changing climatic conditions. However, most of the existing climate change related concepts in schools remain geographically distant, unrelatable, and outside the ecological contexts of the local environment in which a child lives. To address this issue, SeasonWatch, in collaboration with a small group of teachers, have co-created an educational resource that is locally relevant, contextual, and age appropriate. This resource primarily comprises nature-centric activities curated around the observation of nature, and understanding climate change through comparing notes and post-activity discussions. A key component of these nature-centric activities are popular Indian citizen science projects - eBird and SeasonWatch. Citizen science is known to be effective in engaging and creating awareness among the public about the environment, and spans activities like monitoring birds, trees, insects, other lifeforms and even the weather. This resource is also intended to be linked to mainstream school curricula to help make classroom learning more engaging and hands-on. Here we would like to present a few nature based activities that make use of citizen science to address climate change related issues and at the same time create awareness about climate change in a child’s immediate environment.
10	Colonel Navaz Shariff	Urban Wildlife Conservation Triumph: Rescuing 38,000 Animals across 210 Species		In the quest for environmental protection and the preservation of ecological equilibrium within urban landscapes, People for Animals Bangalore has achieved a remarkable milestone. With the active participation of students and concerned citizens, this organization has successfully rescued a staggering 38,000 animals, representing a diverse array of 210 species, including mammals, birds, and reptiles. This achievement underscores the unwavering dedication of the community towards safeguarding urban wildlife and nurturing the coexistence of humans and nature. Through their selfless efforts, the citizens of Bangalore have demonstrated a powerful commitment to the cause of ecological balance and the conservation of wildlife in an urban setting, setting a remarkable example for the rest of the world to follow
11	Ashwin Vishwanathan	Bird Collisions - what we know and how to get less charismatic topics on citizen science	Peeyush Sekhsaria	We are presenting the only piece of work (that we are aware of) on bird collisions in India. Unfortunately, there is virtually no data on this matter. We analysed over 300 data points to find that a wide range of species are victims and that overall, there is no seasonality, however, certain species show seasonal patterns and certain species are at higher risk. As opposed to what one would assume, the collision locations seemed most mundane and everyday and not necessarily the massive glass façade high rises. In one site where a mitigation solution (6mm dia white dots at 50mm edge to edge distance in square grid) was implemented at scale, as opposed to what was expected, people did not mind the dots, got used to them quickly and actually endorsed them for what they served. Competitive bidding got a better price from vendors for mitigation film. Housekeeping staff have an important role to play. Bird collision is not a charismatic theme and data uploads on citizen science platforms remains a challenge. Facebook pages, citizen science platforms and the comments section have detailed descriptions of bird collisions but have to be searched for by using key words. “Bird Collisions India” page created on iNaturalist has only about 15 data points in 2 years. Wildlife rescue groups have an important role to play in data collection, a bulk of the cases that are part of this study were shared Avian and Reptile Rehabilitation Centre (ARRC) Bangalore.
12	Pankaj Koparde	Pune Bird Atlas: mapping birds in the Pune city	Pooja Pawar, Siddharth Biniwale, Pankaj Koparde, Kedar Champhekar, Manali Rane, Ranjana Gosavi, Madhur Rathi	Pune Bird Atlas (PBA) started in January 2020 with the objective to map bird diversity in the city. The Pune city has been gridded into 198 cells of 1.1km*1.1km. The data on birds was collected in the form of eBird checklists of 15 min with maximum of one hour sampling effort per grid (max 4 checklists). We repeated surveys between 2020 to 2023 in summers (Feb to Apr) and winters (Oct to Jan). 199 citizen scientists have contributed to the project. They included researchers, professional, students, freelancers, home makers and senior citizen (age range: 7 to 76years). Their birding experience ranged from none to over 10 years. Birding was done mostly in groups with at least one experienced birder to ensure the data quality. Till April 2023, we have reported 186 bird species in 948 eBird checklists submitted spanning over 74% of the city. The species richness per grid ranged between 13 to 98. We recorded species from 57 families of 18 orders. Rock Pigeon, House Crow, Red-vented Bulbul, Black Kite, Common Myna and Rose-ringed Parakeet were the most abundant species constituting 27%of total observations. 35 species were reported only once from 2020 to 2023. We are still analysing grid-level variation in bird data and its association with the habitat parameters such as presence of canopy, fruiting and flowering trees, open garbage dumps, standing/flowing water, etc.
13	Sanath RM	Impact of coastal armoring on avian communities in sandy beach habitats of Kerala and Karnataka	Abhirami C	Sandy beaches are experiencing erosion due to various factors, posing a threat to the livelihoods of coastal communities. To mitigate this erosion, coastal armoring measures are implemented. However, these protective barriers are often installed indiscriminately along the entire coast in response to societal pressures, inadvertently impacting the habitat and its dependent biodiversity. In this context, we tried examining how the presence of coastal armoring affects bird communities in these habitats. Our hypothesis was that birds would favor non-armored beaches over their armored counterparts. To test this, we surveyed 178 sites with and without erosion barriers along the coasts of Kerala and Karnataka,. We utilized eBird data spanning the past 12 years to examine bird community patterns across these locations. Our analysis revealed a significant difference in bird communities between these two types of beaches, particularly a noteworthy lower wader populations on armored beaches compared to non-armored ones. This study paves the way for future research on the transformation of sandy beach habitats and the resulting impact on biodiversity.
14	Mittal Gala	The Patch Monitoring Project: Insights from systematic monitoring at local birding 'patches'	Ashwin Viswanathan	Birdwatchers often have birding sites that they visit more often than any other. Such sites or local ‘patches’ are typically close to home, and may include parks or lakes or even their own backyards. Across the country, hundreds of birdwatchers casually upload bird lists from their local patches but lists from a patch usually cover multiple trails, or vary in duration, making analysis difficult. Casual patch birding produces a wealth of learning, but in order to learn about aspects vital to bird conservation such as changes in abundance or breeding behaviours, it is important that certain fixed protocols are followed while birding in a patch. The Patch Monitoring Project seeks to bring more structure to patch birding and therefore generate new and vital knowledge about birds through long-term monitoring. The project began in July 2021 and over 20 birders have systematically monitored their patches since, following fixed protocols. The project has already led to new insights into local movements of seemingly resident birds and the timing of breeding behaviours for certain species. We present some of these learnings here, and discuss the importance of long-term patch monitoring as a powerful way to monitor the health of our local bird populations.
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