It takes three to tango: citizen, fundamental and applied science

Area of Science:

• Agricultural Science
• Environmental Science
• Citizen Science

Background:

• Citizen science is an underutilized resource in scientific research.
• It has the potential to significantly contribute to both fundamental and applied scientific advancements.
• Integrating diverse scientific disciplines is key to addressing complex challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the potential of citizen science beyond basic data collection.
• To advocate for the integration of citizen science, agriculture, and climate adaptation strategies.
• To demonstrate the application of this integrated approach using North-Western European soybean cultivation.

Main Methods:

• Review and synthesis of existing citizen science methodologies in agriculture.
• Analysis of climate change impacts on North-Western European agriculture.
• Case study focusing on soybean cultivation in North-Western Europe.

Main Results:

• Citizen science initiatives can enhance the robustness of scientific data.
• Integration of disciplines leads to more sustainable and climate-resilient agricultural practices.
• The proposed framework is applicable to specific agricultural contexts like soybean farming.

Conclusions:

• Citizen science is a powerful, yet undervalued, tool for scientific progress.
• Integrating citizen science with agriculture and climate adaptation is essential for sustainability.
• The study provides a model for enhancing agricultural resilience in the face of climate change.