Looking for ways to get outdoors, explore nature, and participate in science? Well, look no further! Citizen science projects – and citizen scientists – are popping up across the Piscataqua Region (and the country).
cit·i·zen sci·ence noun
Although the term citizen science might be new to you, the tradition of volunteers contributing to research has been around for more than 100 years (The National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count was established in 1900!) Technology, smartphones, and data collection apps, are contributing to the growing numbers of citizens participating in science. Now with a smartphone you can record observations of the changing seasons in the White Mountains, track marine debris along the coast, count birds with the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, and so much more!
We are fortunate in the Piscataqua Region watershed to have multiple citizen science opportunities to engage in, and many groups (Coastal Research Volunteers, Nature Groupie, The Nature Conservancy, Blue Ocean Society, NH Fish & Game, the Gundalow Company, and many more!) who organize, train, and mobilize volunteers for citizen science projects. This month we are featuring two projects engaging citizen scientists this summer – and in years to come. These projects focus on two crab species found along our coastal waterways – horseshoe and green crabs. One – a native species (horseshoe crabs) and the other an invasive species (green crabs) wreaking havoc on our New England coasts for decades. For more opportunities in the Piscataqua Region and across New England check out the Coastal Research Volunteers and Nature Groupie below. These organizations partner with groups, researchers, and natural resource managers in our region to recruit, train, and empower citizen scientists just like you. You can also sign up for their newsletters at the end of this newsletter! Nature Groupie – UNH Cooperative Extension
Horseshoe Crab Survey The horseshoe crab (Limulus polyphemus) is a common site for those who walk the shores of the Great Bay Estuary or visit the Great Bay Discovery Center. This time of year, you may notice them lining the shore at high tide, and if you look close enough you might get a glimpse of a citizen scientist in the wild! But in all seriousness, Win Watson and his team – in partnership with the Coastal Research Volunteers – are working with citizen scientists to survey mating horseshoe crabs from May through July. Equipped with data sheets or a smartphone and the Horseshoesos app, volunteers travel to specific locations around the Great Bay Estuary to count the number of individual males, females, and pairs. This information will inform our understanding of the tidal rhythm of horseshoe crabs and their numbers in the estuary. To learn more about the horseshoe crab survey, or to participate contact Caitlin Mandeville at the Coastal Research Volunteers. You can also follow along on Facebook. Green Crab Survey If you’ve even turned over a rock at the beach in New Hampshire or Maine, or gone tide pooling, you’ve more than likely seen a green crab. But just because they are under most rocks, does not mean they belong here. Green crabs (Carcina maena) are an invasive species from Europe – meaning they are not native – and are causing harm to our ecosystem. While many are found on our coast, they can be tricky to spot because not all green crabs are green. The tell tale sign that you found a green crab is by the shape of the carapace – or shell. Each side of the shell has 5 points/spines, one for each letter in G-R-E-E-N. Gabriela Bradt (NH Sea Grant and UNH Cooperative Extension) and the Coastal Research Volunteers are partnering with beachgoers to help map locations of male green crabs this spring and female grabs later this summer and early fall. This effort aims to identify a molting window for the green crabs in the hopes of developing a soft-shell fishery in New Hampshire. That’s right, green crabs are edible! Like the horseshoe crab survey, smartphones and apps play a leading role in data collection. If you’re on the beach this summer and find a green crab you can report the sighting with the use of Survey123 or by using the online form. The Coastal Research Volunteers are hosting a monthly Great Green Crab Hunt on Peirce Island in Portsmouth, NH Tuesday, June 12 from 12-3 PM. Details here. Visit HERE to learn more about the NH Green Crab Project or by contacting Gabriela Bradt. Now go out and find those crabs! |
