Citizen science to support biodiversity conservation in urban areas
© 2015 EPFL
In its January issue, the magazine "Environment" of the Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) introduced the Urbangene project that relied on the Geneva citizens to identify ponds likely to host the common toad (bufo bufo). The study also investigates genetic diversity in a butterfly species and in a herbaceous plant (Plantago major). With the aim to better understand the ecological and evolutionary mechanisms that promote biodiversity in an area subject to strong urbanization.
Led by the Laboratory of Geographic Information Systems (LASIG) of the Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne (EPFL) in collaboration with the Grand Genève and co-funded by the Gelbert foundation, Urbangene aims to estimate the effects of urbanization on biodiversity by using genetic information. The study concerns the Geneva transboundary area containing ~950'000 inhabitants. "Urbanization causes fragmentation and degradation of natural environments," Ivo Widmer (researcher at LASIG) develops. "We need to know how species move and how they are influenced by urbanization to be able to provide tools and guidance to imagine upstream concrete solutions fostering connectivity between natural spaces in urban environments.»