Harvard’s Arnold Arboretum Needs Your Help
This article first appeared as an article I wrote on LinkedIn on March 28, 2018.
The Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University is embarking on a one-of-its-kind project. To achieve its vision, researchers turn to help from citizen scientists.
The US National Historic Landmark, part of Boston’s Emerald Necklace landscape designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, has been both a free public park and renowned research institution of botany and horticulture over nearly 150 years of existence. Recently, it has been building up an online Plant Image Database of over 23,000 photos captured by staff and associates. The plan is to allow the public to search images and use them for research, education, and other non-commercial purposes. Additionally, the Database allows visitors to explore the Arboretum’s Living Collection remotely and experience one of the most extensive and well-documented collections of temperate woody plants.
Some users have hyped the endeavour as a “Google for Trees”; Danny Schissler, Research and Projects Coordinator of Friedman Lab, has other thoughts. “While the Arboretum’s collection hosts a diverse array of temperate woody plants, our Plant Image Database can hardly claim to represent the vast majority of tree species!”
Researchers and educators must work to foster an awareness and appreciation of plants and the role they play in the biosphere. — Danny Schissler
In fact, the Arboretum has bigger goals — to cure “plant blindness”, described by the Botanical Society of America as the inability to see or notice plants in one’s own environment, of the general public. A consequence of “plant blindness” is that there would be a “ranking of plants as inferior to animals”. “Researchers and educators must work to foster an awareness and appreciation of plants and the role they play in the biosphere. To aid in this mission, the Plant Image Database serves as a public resource, allowing users to discover a world of botany from their own computers and explore a renowned collection of diverse plants from far corners of the globe.” Schissler (pictured) stated in a written reply.
However, reaching the goal is no easy task. Before the Database becomes more useful for external users, it needs to be fleshed out by classifying the various morphological and phenological features present in the pictures. Considering that the Friedman Lab’s main focus is on evolutionary history and plant development (Schissler spends around five hours a week maintaining and improving the project), and also how the database is expanding exponentially (it doubled itself over the past two calendar years), such a large-scale process would be seemingly endless.
Luckily, they have thousands of volunteers to help. The Arboretum has created the TreeVersity project, calling upon citizen scientists around the world to contribute. Now, the estimated time to finish all existing classifications with the help of the 1700-strong citizen scientists is around 1,225 man hours. “On the research side of things, citizen science allows us to crowdsource repetitive tasks that can be prohibitively costly for individual researchers”, said Schissler.
I’m constantly impressed with [volunteers’] knowledge and level of engagement…I find myself learning from volunteers every day! — Danny Schissler
While some have suggested the use of artificial intelligence in hopes of maximizing efficiency, Schissler pointed out that the broad diversity of plant structures — there are currently 2,139 species in the Arboretum, not counting varieties and hybrids — and the precision required for identifying them would likely pose a challenge for machine learning. Besides, the interaction between researchers and citizen scientists are reciprocal, something that machines cannot replicate.” [Treeversity] also brings the broad range of experience and expertise of volunteers to the table as a resource. With a greater number of eyes and minds involved, citizen scientists may uncover anomalous or interesting patterns that a single researcher might miss. TreeVersity volunteers have discovered misidentifications, subtle morphological features, and other surprising aspects hidden within our images. I’m constantly impressed with their knowledge and level of engagement! “
One of the most memorable experiences shared by Schissler was of a volunteer discovering an image of a bee seemingly frozen in time with its mandibles (jaws) clamped to a spruce needle. Only by consulting a local entomologist did the team know that many types of cuckoo bees (subfamily Nomadinae) actually bite into vegetation in order to sleep. “I find myself learning from volunteers every day!” Schissler reiterated.
The process of creating the database also serves a dual function of attacking “plant blindness” directly. “On the education side of the discussion, citizen science encourages people of diverse interests, backgrounds and levels of education to learn about and participate in the process of scientific discovery. Not only does this allow volunteers to experience and engage the natural world in new and exciting ways, it fosters a sense of stewardship and provides the ability to contribute to positive change.” While the project directly enriches knowledge of participants regarding the taxonomy, phenology and morphology, the promotion of the projects by these volunteers in their communities could also go a long ways toward raising understanding of botany by common people.
23,000 photos might seem a piece of cake with the help of volunteers, but the Treeversity team has bolder plans ahead. “In addition to classifying the remaining photos in our database while improving the project workflow and educational resources as we go, we‘re working on expanding the database to include more of the taxa in the living collections. Ultimately, we hope to collaborate with other institutions to create (a) tool for the visual exploration of plant collections across the US and across the globe!” With the cooperation of researchers and the public, it is hopeful that citizen science may ultimately serve as the antidote to “plant blindness”.
To join the TreeVersity project, click here.
This disclaimer informs readers that the author has been a registered volunteer for the TreeVersity project. The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in the text belong solely to the author and the interviewee, and not necessarily to the author’s and interviewee’s employers, organizations, committees or other groups or individuals.
