Singapore Citizen Scientists Boost Bee Research in Asia
In a bid to bolster bee research and conservation efforts in Asia, citizen scientists in Singapore are taking center stage. These dedicated individuals are contributing to a wealth of knowledge about bees in the region, filling gaps where professional experts have struggled. The Republic's bee citizen science program is making a significant impact, shedding light on the otherwise limited understanding of Asian bee species.
Bee enthusiasts and citizen scientists in Singapore are ushering in a new era of bee research and conservation in Asia. With a passion for bees and a commitment to wildlife preservation, they are working alongside experts to enhance our understanding of these crucial pollinators.
Singapore's bee citizen scientists, like Girinandhini Govindharaju and Lim Yu Jun, are not formally trained in entomology, but their enthusiasm and dedication are driving significant progress. By exploring various locations and documenting bee sightings, these passionate individuals are playing a crucial role in advancing bee research in Singapore.
The number of citizen scientists in Singapore has grown exponentially, from 400 in 2015 to over 11,000 in 2023, according to the National Parks Board (NParks). NParks' Community in Nature (CIN) Biodiversity Watch program has been instrumental in mobilizing the public and students for large-scale biodiversity surveys.
Assistant Professor John Ascher, an entomologist specializing in bees and wasps at the National University of Singapore, underscores the unique contribution of citizen scientists. They venture into areas that professional scientists often don't explore, monitor and observe bees in their natural habitats, and collect valuable data that fills gaps in our knowledge.
The bee and wasp sightings logged by citizen scientists are documented on platforms like iNaturalist, an online database for flora and fauna. Mr. Lim, the top contributor of bee sightings in Singapore, and Prof. Ascher, the leading bee identifier, have made substantial contributions to this database.
NParks collaborates with citizen scientists by providing training and sharing expertise in bee taxonomy. Together, they conduct surveys and publish significant findings in research papers. These efforts have also contributed to a better understanding of each bee species' conservation status, as evidenced in the recent Singapore Red List, a reference on the country's biodiversity.
Singapore's bee citizen science initiative stands as a beacon of hope for bee research in Asia. A recent opinion paper co-authored by Prof. Ascher highlights the challenges facing bee knowledge and conservation in the region. According to the paper, Asia lags behind the rest of the world in terms of bee research, with only 15% of the world's known bee species covered by just 1% of global public data on bee specimens.
The paper also emphasizes the shortage of bee experts in Asia, a problem compounded by a diminishing interest in taxonomy, the science of naming and classifying living organisms. Prof. Ascher and the Asian section of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Wild Bee Specialist Group aim to create a red list of Asian bee species to assess the extinction risk for each pollinator.
With their unwavering dedication and passion, Singapore's citizen scientists are turning the tide for bee research in Asia, promising a brighter future for these vital pollinators and the ecosystems they support.
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