scholarly journals VGI VISUALISATION TO SUPPORT PARTICIPATORY LAKE MONITORING: THE CASE STUDY OF SIMILE PROJECT

Author(s):  
C. A. Biraghi ◽  
E. Pessina ◽  
D. Carrion ◽  
M. A. Brovelli

Abstract. This study focuses on the role of VGI visualization in encouraging participation to environmental Citizen Science, taking as a case study the mobile application developed within SIMILE (Informative System for the Integrated Monitoring of Insubric Lakes and their Ecosystems) project activities. The main project goal is the protection of water quality for Lugano, Maggiore and Como lakes through a geoinformatics coordination of existing monitoring systems with new data collection methods (satellite images, high frequency sensors and citizen science). This tool enables the producers to perform a community-based monitoring side by side with local authorities and research bodies improving the efficiency of the current protocols.Referring to ontologies of geospatial data, the VGI samples are analysed under different aspects as their quality, quantity, variety, granularity, spatial and temporal distribution, highlighting their temporary, moving and changing nature. This analysis shows the presence of potential contradictions existing between the application use and the perceived lake water quality, to be mitigated mainly working on the user interface of the map view. So, a study of existing conventions, especially in terms of colours, is compared with the results coming from the application of consolidated survey methodologies to this specific context. Reflections on markers, symbols and attributes of features and maps are presented introducing geovisual analytical solutions for dynamic phenomena. The design solutions adopted are finally presented and validated with a combination of different usability evaluation methods like heuristics and field tests.

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1683
Author(s):  
Nandini Menon ◽  
Grinson George ◽  
Rajamohananpillai Ranith ◽  
Velakandy Sajin ◽  
Shreya Murali ◽  
...  

Turbidity and water colour are two easily measurable properties used to monitor pollution. Here, we highlight the utility of a low-cost device—3D printed, hand-held Mini Secchi disk (3DMSD) with Forel-Ule (FU) colour scale sticker on its outer casing—in combination with a mobile phone application (‘TurbAqua’) that was provided to laymen for assessing the water quality of a shallow lake region after demolition of four high-rise buildings on the shores of the lake. The demolition of the buildings in January 2020 on the banks of a tropical estuary—Vembanad Lake (a Ramsar site) in southern India—for violation of Indian Coastal Regulation Zone norms created public uproar, owing to the consequences of subsequent air and water pollution. Measurements of Secchi depth and water colour using the 3DMSD along with measurements of other important water quality variables such as temperature, salinity, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) using portable instruments were taken for a duration of five weeks after the demolition to assess the changes in water quality. Paired t-test analyses of variations in water quality variables between the second week of demolition and consecutive weeks up to the fifth week showed that there were significant increases in pH, dissolved oxygen, and Secchi depth over time, i.e., the impact of demolition waste on the Vembanad Lake water quality was found to be relatively short-lived, with water clarity, colour, and DO returning to levels typical of that period of year within 4–5 weeks. With increasing duration after demolition, there was a general decrease in the FU colour index to 17 at most stations, but it did not drop to 15 or below, i.e., towards green or blue colour indicating clearer waters, during the sampling period. There was no significant change in salinity from the second week to the fifth week after demolition, suggesting little influence of other factors (e.g., precipitation or changes in tidal currents) on the inferred impact of demolition waste. Comparison with pre-demolition conditions in the previous year (2019) showed that the relative changes in DO, Secchi depth, and pH were very high in 2020, clearly depicting the impact of demolition waste on the water quality of the lake. Match-ups of the turbidity of the water column immediately before and after the demolition using Sentinel 2 data were in good agreement with the in situ data collected. Our study highlights the power of citizen science tools in monitoring lakes and managing water resources and articulates how these activities provide support to Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) targets on Health (Goal 3), Water quality (Goal 6), and Life under the water (Goal 14).


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 123
Author(s):  
Rizky Pamuji ◽  
Ismiarta Aknuranda ◽  
Fatwa Ramdani

Citizen participation in collect and distribute information increase the role of the citizen involvement in local issues and increasing the benefits of society for the government and the environment. The contribution of citizens can be useful in helping to deal with environment problems and assist certain parties in meeting data needs, this is commonly referred to as citizen science. In its development, citizen science involvement in providing information began to involve social media as a platform for sharing information. In this study we try to explore citizen science of Indonesia, we conduct case study exploring how citizen in Indonesia used social media such as Twitter in response to one of the country’s worst disaster in 2018 namely Lombok Earthquake. By analyzing these user generate message we may know what the response of Indonesian citizen during event and understand more about citizen science in Indonesia through social media including its role and contribution. The information also may assist local communities in obtaining up-to-date information, providing assistance according to needs of the populace and use to manage and plan disaster relief both during and after the event.


2018 ◽  
Vol 7 (3.8) ◽  
pp. 97
Author(s):  
Divya A.H ◽  
P A. Soloman

Drinking water quality has become a serious issue in many countries due to the scarcity of fresh water resources. Water quality monitoring is the first step for the management and conservation of aquatic system. The contamination of OrganoChlorine Pesticides (OCPs) is very harmful for the environment and human beings. The presence of OCPs in surface water and in the bottom sediment in the Chalakudy River was investigated to evaluate the pollution load and distribution level of OCP seasonally over a period of 3 years from January 2013 to December 2015. Surface water sample and bottom sediment were collected from nine different sites (upstream, midstream and downstream) and analyzed for their profile of important physicochemical parameters and for persistence of OCP. To know the present trends in the river clearly ,temporal  distribution  and spatial distribution of OCPs and other parameters are studied based on three season(winter, summer, and monsoon).Obtained trend in each  year  were compared  through sampling and analysis.   


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Barbara Heinisch

Citizen science has become a world-wide phenomenon. Especially for citizen science projects that have a global reach, translation is crucial to overcome language and cultural barriers to reach members of the public. Translation, understood as the transfer of meaning (of a text) from one language into another language, is crucial for the transmission of information, knowledge and (social) innovations. Therefore, this paper examines the role of translation and terminology used in citizen science projects and how translation can foster (or impede) social innovation through citizen science activities. Based on a set of predefined criteria derived from the social innovation literature, this paper analyzes the factors that contribute to (social) innovation in citizen science by means of translation. A specific focus of the case study is on the aspects of agency, institutions, and social systems. The results demonstrate that translation in citizen science may support a change of social practices as ingredients of social innovations. Additional research is needed to further understand the implications of translation in citizen science and its effects on social innovation. Nevertheless, this work has been one of the first attempts to examine the relation between translation, citizen science and social innovation.


2017 ◽  
Vol 24 ◽  
pp. 57-72
Author(s):  
Tymoteusz Miller ◽  
Aleksandra Drozdowska ◽  
Andrzej Zawal ◽  
Gorzysław Poleszczuk

1996 ◽  
Vol 34 (12) ◽  
pp. 73-81 ◽  
Author(s):  
B. Beler Baykal ◽  
I. E. Gönenç ◽  
M. Meriç ◽  
A. Tanik ◽  
O. Tunay

Lake Sapanca is the major water resource supplying drinking water as well as water for industrial and agricultural uses for one of the more industrialized areas of Turkey. Currently, the sustainability of its beneficial use is an issue of concern. Initially the water quality in the lake was classified according to the Turkish Regulations. With this conventional approach, a detailed water quality evaluation could not be achieved due to certain drawbacks, and this required the search for a new approach. Therefore, a more detailed classification was accomplished by taking German Technical Standards as a basis that would lead to more usable and understandable classification necessary to promote a rational management strategy. Both classifications dictate that classes 1 and 2 may be used for water supply effectively. The detailed classification indicates that at present water quality in the lake is overall of first class; however, it is tending towards Class 2, with the lake in a state of transition from oligotrophy to mesotrophy and the most critical issues being nutrient concentrations in the lake and land based nutrient sources.


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