Monarch Larva Monitoring Project

Goals and Roles

“A Cooperative Effort to Generate and Share Ecological

Knowledge”

Citizen ScienceCitizen Science:• involves the public in organized scientific

research• is often used in conservation, applied

ecology and natural resource management• is an important tool in basic ecological

research

Examples of Citizen Science Projects

• NWS Cooperative Observing Program includes 11,500 volunteer observation stations

• National Audubon Society’s Christmas Bird Count

• Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s FeederWatch, House Finch Disease Survey, etc.

Monarch Citizen Science• Insect Migration Association (1952)• Fourth of July Butterfly Count (1970’s)• Monarch Watch• Journey North• MLMP• Monarchs in the Classroom• Texas Monarch Watch• California Monarch Alert• Migratory Pollinators Project

Why Monarchs?• Scientific reasons

Migration and annual variability in pathways and strategies

Broad geographic distribution

• Practical reasons Ease of observation

and identification Amenability to

experimental research

Public recognition and iconic status

Monarch Larva Monitoring Project

• Network of volunteers tracking immature monarch abundances in the US and Canada

• Began in 1994 with UM lab group• Citizen involvement in 1997 • Differs from most other Citizen Science

projects in amount of time required and basic research focus

Outreach/Dissemination

Goal #1

• Understand local ecosystems and basic ecological principles

• Understand the scientific process

• Understand policy and conservation applications of ecological data

Increased scientific Increased scientific literacyliteracy

Outreach/Dissemination

Goal #2

• Exhibit for participating nature centers

• Website • Annual newsletter

conveying project findings, background information, links to other projects, etc.

Dissemination to participants and Dissemination to participants and communitycommunity

Outreach/Dissemination

Goal #3

• MLMP and extended research

• Education for non-volunteer audience: data utilization, project findings

Research/science education program for nature Research/science education program for nature centerscenters

Outreach/Dissemination

Goal #4

K-12 Involvement• Participation in MLMP via

school/teacher• Via ISE (visits to nature

centers, summer involvement)

• Data/curriculum utilization

Link formal education community, ISE and Link formal education community, ISE and scientistsscientists

Project Activities Goal #1

Provide baseline data on monarch Provide baseline data on monarch population biology for educators, population biology for educators, scientists, policy makers, and the publicscientists, policy makers, and the public • Basic distribution and abundance data • Temporal and spatial comparisons • Importance of various monarch habitats • Effects of environmental perturbations• Population dynamics (e.g. predation, timing of

mortality)

Project Activities Goal #2

Provide trainer and volunteer supportProvide trainer and volunteer support

• Encourage and facilitate communication• Retain volunteers • Disseminate findings• Make data collection and entry easy and

meaningful On-line tutorial Data sheets and directions Assuring quality data

University of Minnesota

•Training, Resources, Protocol Provide training materials Provide hands-on practice with monitoring and larva

ID Directions for training and recruiting Develop protocol

•Project communication and support Newsletter, website, networking (naturalists and

volunteers) Nature center and site displays Online support and field questions

•Data analysis and dissemination•Evaluation

Nature Centers• Conduct monitoring workshops

Registration, recruitment, logistics, materials Provide training for a variety of volunteer types Help volunteers develop implementation plans

• Facilitate on-site monitoring Set up schedule, maintain data Oversee data input

• Follow-up and support: maintain excitement and involvement

• Education Display Incorporation into other program activities

Volunteers• Conduct weekly monitoring

Per plant monarch density Site description, milkweed density Optional weather, plant condition and parasitism

data

• Data input Online data forms Data validation

• Education For children, students, community, etc.