1. Engaging the public in plant science : communication facilitators and barriers of scaling up a citizen science campaignKristiina Gibson, Monika Suškevičs, Baiba Prūse, Marta Barberis, Sara A. O. Cousins, Živa Fišer, Margaux Julien, Marianne Kivastik, Marcin Miroslav Klisz, Attila Lengyel, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: Volunteers have been involved in nature observations for decades through citizen science initiatives, providing large data sets as well as problem identification that allow a more complete understanding of many natural phenomena. Although communication is a core component in citizen science, the key factors that determine its effectiveness in national and transboundary campaigns aimed at broad audiences have remained unclear. Using the pan-European citizen science campaign ‘Looking for Cowslips’ spanning across 31 European countries as an example, we explored the main communication facilitators and barriers campaign organisers face in different European regions when engaging the public in citizen science. To do so, we conducted interviews, questionnaires and discussion groups with the campaign organisers. The results indicate that communication in citizen science initiatives poses a challenge, particularly for researchers, who often do not have sufficient time or means for the necessary engagement and communication efforts. In addition to the ecological characteristics of the focal species in the different regions of Europe, the key aspects that need to be considered for planning effective communication in transboundary citizen science projects include various socio-cultural factors, such as the traditions related to citizen science in different countries as well as local indigenous knowledge. Our study shows that collaboration between academic institutions and environmental non-governmental organisations, but also the contribution by local co-organisers at the national level, is crucial for the effectiveness of international citizen science campaigns. In addition, facilitators and barriers of communication need to be considered in each region separately as even at the European scale, we observed a high variability of environmental and socio-cultural settings. Synthesis. In an era of detrimental consequences of human activities on natural ecosystems, it is vital to include society in observations to determine the impact of environmental change on biodiversity through citizen science approaches. Substantial advances in technological tools have helped to foster these initiatives across vast spatial scales. Nevertheless, it is also crucial to select the right pathways for communication to compete with vast amounts of other information and to reach potential participants in varying socio-cultural contexts of different countries.
Ključne besede: citizen science, communication, community science, Europe, fragmentation, grasslands, landscape change, Primula veris
Objavljeno v RUP: 08.09.2026; Ogledov: 383; Prenosov: 11
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2. A pan-European citizen science study shows population size, climate and land use are related to biased morph ratios in the heterostylous plant Primula verisTsipe Aavik, Triin Reitalu, Marianne Kivastik, Iris Reinula, Sabrina Träger, Evelyn Uuemaa, Marta Barberis, Arjen Biere, Sílvia Castro, Sara A. O. Cousins, Živa Fišer, 2026, izvirni znanstveni članek Opis: The distylous plant Primula veris has long served as a model species for studying heterostyly, that is the occurrence of multiple floral morphs within a population to ensure outcrossing. Habitat loss, reduced plant population sizes, and climate change have raised concerns about the impact of these factors on morph ratios and the related consequences on fitness of heterostylous species. We studied the deviation of floral morphs of P. veris from isoplethy (i.e. equal frequency) in response to plant population size, landscape context and climatic factors, based on a pan-European citizen science campaign involving observations from 28 countries. In addition, we examined the relative frequency of morphs to determine whether landscape and climatic factors disrupt morph frequencies or whether a specific morph has an advantage over the other. Theory predicts equal frequencies of short-styled S-morphs and long-styled L-morphs in populations at equilibrium. However, data from >3000 populations showed a substantial morph deviation from isoplethy and a significant excess of S-morphs (9% higher compared to L-morphs). Deviation of morph frequency from equilibrium was substantially stronger in smaller populations and was not affected by morph identity. Higher summer precipitation and land use intensity were associated with an increased prevalence of S-morphs. Five populations containing individuals exhibiting short homostyle phenotypes (with the style and anthers in low positions) were found. Genotyping of the individuals at CYP734A50 gene of the S locus, which determines the length of the style and the position of anthers of P. veris, revealed no mutations in this region. Our results based on an unprecedented geographic sampling suggest that changes in land use and climate may be responsible for non-equilibrium morph frequencies. This large-scale citizen science initiative sets foundations for future studies to clarify whether the unexpected excess of S-morphs is due to partial intra-morph compatibility, disruption of heterostyly or survival advantage of S-morphs. Synthesis. Human-induced environmental change may affect biodiversity indirectly through altering reproductive traits, which can also lead to reduced fitness and genetic diversity. Further research should consider the possible role of pollinators in mediating the ecological and evolutionary consequences of recent landscape and climatic shifts on plant reproductive traits.
Ključne besede: citizen science, flower, heterostily
Objavljeno v RUP: 16.01.2026; Ogledov: 1015; Prenosov: 11
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