Citizen Science Initiatives Drive Outstanding Biodiversity Monitoring Results Across Portugal

In the face of rapidly accelerating biodiversity loss along Europe’s coastal and marine ecosystems, a recent large-scale citizen science initiative has marked a significant stride in the effort to monitor and protect marine biodiversity. The 2025 edition of BioMARatona Portugal, a collaborative project driven by the ANERIS consortium and supported by the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, has successfully engaged both local communities and scientific networks in extensive biodiversity mapping along the Portuguese coastline. This initiative represents a critical step forward in integrating advanced sensing technologies and community-driven data collection to better understand and mitigate human impacts on marine life.

Marine biodiversity in Europe is under unprecedented threat, primarily due to human-induced stressors such as climate change, pollution, habitat degradation, and overexploitation of resources. These threats have contributed to a worrying decline in species richness, endangering ecosystem functionality and resilience. The ANERIS project aims to address these challenges by designing next-generation scientific tools and methodologies for biodiversity monitoring, with a particular emphasis on the utility of citizen science as a means to expand observational coverage and enhance data resolution. BioMARatona serves as an exemplary model for how community engagement can be leveraged to generate granular, geolocated biodiversity records critical for conservation science.

The 2025 BioMARatona initiative was orchestrated by the COASTALWARMING research group alongside CIBIO-InBio/BIOPOLIS, with co-funding and support from multiple European citizen science and marine environment-focused projects including MINKE, PHAROS, and GUARDEN. Over a five-month period, from early May to mid-October, BioMARatona mobilized 175 participants who contributed an impressive total of 3,407 observations spanning 263 distinct coastal species. This remarkable participation not only enhanced species inventories but also reflected a substantial increase from the previous year, underscoring the growing momentum and public interest in marine biodiversity conservation.

The data amassed through BioMARatona is systematically cataloged in the MINKA community-based observatory platform. Each observation is rigorously documented with high-quality images and precise geolocation metadata, enabling refined spatial analyses and contributing to longitudinal biodiversity monitoring. Such comprehensive data collection is indispensable for detecting patterns of species distribution, shifts in community composition, and identifying emerging threats. The platform’s open-access nature encourages transparency, collaborative research, and facilitates informed decision-making by conservation practitioners and policymakers.

Beyond the quantitative achievements, BioMARatona’s greatest scientific contribution lies in its capacity to connect citizens with complex marine ecosystems. As Mar Humet Caballero, a research technician from CIBIO-InBIO/BIOPOLIS, stresses, this engagement transforms participants into active contributors to ecological research, effectively bridging science and society. This citizen involvement fosters a more profound ecological literacy and collective responsibility toward safeguarding coastal environments, which are often undervalued despite their critical ecological functions and proximity to urban centers.

Notably, the 2025 BioMARatona data reveal a substantial presence of non-indigenous species (NIS), with over 200 documented observations of these exotic organisms scattered across Portugal’s shores. Among the most frequently noted NIS were Grateloupia turuturu, commonly known as devil’s tongue weed, recorded 77 times near Porto’s coast, and Siphonaria pectinata, or the striped false limpet, observed 50 times across northern coastal cities. These findings offer valuable insights into the dispersal and establishment dynamics of invasive species, informing risk assessments and potential mitigation strategies to curb their ecological impacts on native biota.

Further exotic species detected include the Japanese wireweed (Sargassum muticum), observed 40 times in diverse coastal locations. This brown macroalga, native to the Western Pacific, exhibits aggressive colonizing behavior which can disrupt local habitats and alter community structure. The bioinvasion recording integration into the MINKA observatory underscores the capacity of citizen science to detect ecological shifts swiftly, thereby bolstering early warning systems essential for timely management response.

Among the noteworthy biological observations was the detection of a juvenile European seabass (Dicentrarchus labrax), a species of considerable ecological and economic importance but classified as near threatened by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). This record, especially given the species’ vulnerable status, highlights how citizen science initiatives can supplement traditional monitoring efforts by documenting critical life stages and occurrences that might otherwise go unnoticed, thereby enriching scientific understanding of species population dynamics.

Marine biologist Cátia Monteiro from CIBIO-InBIO/BIOPOLIS emphasizes that an apparent rise in invasive species records should not be interpreted as an increase in population abundance. Instead, it reflects enhanced observer coverage and intensity, which refines spatial distribution knowledge and informs ecological modeling. This distinction is pivotal for accurate scientific inference and underscores the methodological importance of integrating citizen-generated data with professional research frameworks.

In recognition of participant commitment, BioMARatona awarded prizes to the top information contributors and introduced a special accolade for the best marine biodiversity photography. Winners included experienced naturalists and rockpooling enthusiasts whose visual documentation greatly enhanced the observational dataset. These incentives not only increased engagement but also cultivated a community of practice centered on marine biodiversity appreciation and stewardship.

The comprehensive outcomes of BioMARatona 2025 were presented at Portugal’s National Citizen Science Meeting, fostering dialogue among institutional stakeholders, civil society, and science promoters. Discussions centered on participant demographics, socioeconomic factors, and the broader societal impact of citizen science, evidencing a growing recognition of its role in complementing scientific research and enhancing public science literacy.

Rocío Nieto Vilela, a marine biologist involved in the project, reflects on the transformative impact of such engagement, noting that participants often develop a renewed perspective on urban coastal environments, recognizing the biodiversity richness that thrives alongside human activity. This shift in perception is crucial for developing sustainable urban coastal management policies that harmonize human presence with ecological integrity.

The ANERIS team extends profound gratitude to all BioMARatona 2025 collaborators and anticipates even more extensive participation and refined data collection in the forthcoming 2026 edition. As marine ecosystems face mounting pressures, initiatives such as BioMARatona stand as beacons of interdisciplinary, participatory science pivotal in the global quest to understand, conserve, and restore marine biodiversity.

News Publication Date: Not specified in source text

Web References:

• ANERIS project: https://aneris.eu/
• COASTALWARMING research group: https://www.coastalwarming.com/
• CIBIO-InBio/BIOPOLIS: https://www.biopolis.pt/en/
• MINKA community observatory: https://minka-sdg.org/
• International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN): https://iucn.org/