The Power of Community Science: Advancing Sea Horse Research through Citizen Contributions

Research on sea horses has advanced thanks to the contributions of members of the public, according to a recent study. The iSeahorse science project, launched in 2013, has been instrumental in gathering data from the community between 2013 and 2022.

Citizen contributions have provided valuable new information on 17 known sea horse species, where data was previously lacking. Additionally, these contributions have helped to update knowledge on the geographic distribution of nine species and have even enhanced scientists’ understanding of sea horse breeding behaviors.

Over the years, the project has collected approximately 11,000 observations from more than 1,900 contributors. Researchers were able to validate 7,794 of these observations, covering 96 countries and 35 sea horse species. Volunteer observers have identified rare species that traditional monitoring methods may have overlooked.

Heather Koldewey, co-founder of the iSeahorse project and lead on the Bertarelli Foundation’s marine science program emphasized the importance of community science efforts in studying cryptic species like sea horses. She stated that “Community science efforts are essential in raising awareness and achieving conservation goals.”

The study highlights the impact of community science in advancing research and conservation efforts for sea horses. If you want to get involved in the iSeahorse project, visit https://projectseahorse.org/iseahorse/ to learn more about how you can contribute to sea horse research and conservation efforts.