When thousands of citizens monitor common species:

the French Garden Biodiversity Observatory

Benoît Fontaine and Romain Julliard

Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris, France

12th EEF, Avila

27 September 2011

A research project:

• Impact of gardening practices, garden types and landscape on common species

• Long-term biodiversity monitoring

The Observatoire des Papillons des Jardins

• General public• 28 common species/species groups• Private or public gardens

A program run by MNHN (protocol, analyses) and Noé Conservation (animation)

Launched in 2006

Monthly data (March-October): maximum number of butterflies of each species seen simultaneously in the garden.

Frequency of observation is up to the observer

Frequency of visits

Landscape impact

Surroundings

Distance to closestwood/field/pasture

Commune (~county)

Garden and gardening practices impact

Trees

Flowers

Garden features

Between 2,700 and 4,000 gardens monitored each yearCa. 100,000 monthly surveys, two million abundance data collected since 2006

Six years later…

Impact of urbanization

Ave

rag

e m

on

thly

ab

un

dan

ce

Urbanization classes

Impact of garden characteristics

Garden naturalness Nectar offer

Cross-scale interactions:landscape impact vs. garden impact

Urban avoiding species are more sensitive to garden practices than urban tolerant ones

One-shot operations

Pictures of butterflies feeding

Butterfly and plant identification

« Fleurs à papillons » project

- 4500 pictures- 35 butterfly species- ~300 plant species

Some butterflies species favour exotic plant species

Hypothesis : these butterflies should be abundant in cities

Food availability is not the limiting factor for the presence of butterflies in cities

Sen

sivi

ty t

o u

rban

izat

ion

Exotic flower preference index

The half-full glass:a large pool of dedicated observers

More than 2000 long-term participants

The half-empty glass

Most participants do not stay on the long runN

um

ber

of

gar

den

s

Number of surveys provided

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Non active

Active

New observers are less motivated than those from 2006

Active vs. non active gardens per registration year

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

8 surveys

7 surveys

6 surveys

5 surveys

4 surveys

3 surveys

2 surveys

1 survey

New observers are less motivated than those from 2006

Monthly survey results sent (year of registration)

Less and less new observers each yearN

ew o

bse

rver

s

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011

Are there only 10,000 potential observers in France?

Cumulative number of gardens having provided at least one monthly survey

The challenge:

• Attracting new observers

• Keeping current observers

Thank you for your attention