University of Primorska Faculty of Mathematics, Natural Sciences and Information Technologies
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Friday, 24 January 2025 What is citizen science?

Citizen science is the English translation of the Slovenian term "Državljanska znanost", which means the active participation of the public in scientific research projects. The basic aim of citizen science is to offer every citizen the opportunity to participate in the various phases of the research process actively. In Slovenia, the following translations are commonly used: ljubiteljska znanost, občanska znanost, skupnostna znanost, ljubiteljska znanost ter participativna znanost. (source: https://citizenscience.si/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Brosura_online.pdf).

Citizen science is one approach that has emerged from the participatory turn in research and innovation. This turn is usually motivated by pursuing various objectives, such as promoting democratisation and public participation in science and innovation, fostering scientific literacy, raising public awareness of scientific and technological issues or conducting research programmes with patterns and geographical scales that professional researchers alone could not achieve.

By participating in the scientific process as amateur scientists, amateurs have access to all the basic mechanisms of scientific knowledge, including those previously reserved for professional scientists, such as identifying research needs, developing research projects, formulating hypotheses, collecting data, interpreting research results and defining their scientific applications.

The socialisation of science

A key element defining citizen science as a potential tool for the socialisation of science arises from its basis in an observable social phenomenon, reflected to some extent in the willingness of the lay public to participate in the scientific process as stakeholders about particular social or economic issues. This is usually due to a personal interest in certain topics (e.g. a love of nature and the observation of natural processes) or simply a love of science. Although there is a long tradition of lay participation in science (e.g. in disciplines such as astronomy or zoology), this trend is also spreading to other areas of science and is increasingly linked to tackling major societal challenges such as climate change, the transition to renewable energy and social inequality.

Scientific and educational value

Collaboration with amateur scientists enables researchers to collect extensive or hard-to-access data and to access traditional knowledge preserved by individual communities. It also provides the opportunity to interpret the results on this basis. In addition, citizen science has an important educational value, as it helps to increase participants' knowledge and interest in science while improving their skills such as responsibility, critical thinking and socio-economic problem-solving (source: https://citizenscience.si/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Brosura_online.pdf).

10 principles of Citizen science

In 2015, the European Citizen Science Association (ECSA) adopted the 10 principles of citizen science.

These principles were endorsed by Science Europe, thus confirming the credibility of the principles and of citizen science as a legitimate process in scientific research. (Source: https://citizenscience.si/obcanska-znanost/10-nacel-obcanske-znanosti/ )

Beginning of the path

The Step Change Citizen Science Navigator is a guide for researchers who want to involve the public or amateur scientists in the scientific research process. It builds on the experience of the Step Change project and aims to generalise and extend its findings to benefit researchers embarking on the citizen science pathway. (https://cs-navigator.stepchangeproject.eu/)

At the national level, the Citizen Science Network in Slovenia brings together organisations, institutions and stakeholders active in the field of citizen science.

Important organisations for the promotion of citizen science in Europe:

International citizen science projects in which the University of Primorska is involved: 

Citizen Science Initiative

SEARCH FOR NON-NATIVE FLATWORMS IN SLOVENIA (download)

   

(Dr. Živa Fišer, Dr. Katja Adam, Dr. Sara Zupan, and Dr. Martina Lužnik / Department of Biodiversity UP FAMNIT)

Have you noticed unusual elongated animals in your garden that look like earthworms, leeches or slugs while gardening or tidying up?

Perhaps you have already had an encounter with flatworms from the group Turbellaria. These animals are not native to our country, but are becoming increasingly common in Europe. In neighbouring Italy, over 15 different species have been found in recent years with the help of residents. They also exist in Slovenia, but we have very little information about them. We invite you to help us in the search for non-native flatworms.

• What are non-native flatworms?

Flatworms are predators that feed on earthworms and other soil organisms. They have a long, flattened body that is between a few centimetres and 30 cm or more in length. Some species have a hammer-shaped head. All flatworms excrete mucus, which gives them a shiny, moist appearance. Some have a distinctive striped pattern across the body or are brightly coloured.

• Where can you find them?

They are usually found in moist soil, under pots or in the base of ornamental plants, under stones and between wood. They are thought to be found in greenhouses, where they may have been introduced by imported plants. In Europe, they have been observed most frequently in May/June and in September/October, after rainfall.

• Are they dangerous?

Some flatworms can excrete toxins, so you should not touch them with your bare hands. They could disturb the natural balance in the soil if they occur in large numbers because they are eaten by earthworms and other soil organisms.

• What to do if you discover them?

  • Don't touch them with your hands, but pick them up with small sticks - some flatworms can excrete toxins.
  • Document the sighting - photograph the animals and, if possible, capture them in a sealed plastic or glass container. Place a few layers of moistened paper towels in the container and store it in the refrigerator.
  • Report your observation in one of the following ways.

***

- by email to ploskicrvi@upr.si
- on the Facebook group "Alien Foreigners flatworms in Slovenia"
- via the form > here 
- by phone (+386 5 663 58 07; on weekdays)

We would be very pleased to receive your saved samples - we will discuss the shipping method with you personally. Your cooperation is crucial for understanding the distribution of these little-known non-native species.

Thank you for helping us with our research.