Using citizen science data to identify the sensitivity of species to human land use

• DOI: 10.1111/cobi.12686
• Publication Date: 2016-02-11T12:57:41Z
• Authors: Brian D. Todd; Jonathan P. Rose; Steven J. Price; Michael E. Dorcas
• Keywords: Citizen Science

Conservation practitioners must contend with an increasing array of threats that affect biodiversity. Citizen scientists can provide timely and expansive information for addressing these across large scales, but their data may contain sampling biases. We used randomization procedures to account possible biases in opportunistically reported citizen science identify species' sensitivities human land use. analyzed 21,044 records 143 native reptile amphibian species the Carolina Herp Atlas from North South between 1 January 1990 12 July 2014. Sensitive significantly associated natural landscapes were 3.4 times more likely be legally protected or treated as conservation concern by state resource agencies than less sensitive human-dominated landscapes. Many occurred primarily habitats had been nearly eradicated otherwise altered Carolinas, including isolated wetlands, longleaf pine savannas, Appalachian forests. Rare few reports 3.2 at least 20 occurrences. Our results suggest currently restricted are greatest risk decline future losses habitat. approach demonstrates usefulness prioritizing helping address declines extinctions extents.