When Citizen Scientists Observe Biodiversity?

Citizen science biodiversity data are increasingly used in ecological research and monitoring, but recording activity is uneven over time and may introduce biases. We investigated factors influencing the number of observations submitted throughout the year, focusing on six tree species native to the Iberian Peninsula whose appearance remains relatively constant across seasons, thereby reducing phenological effects on recording behaviour. Observation data were obtained from BioDiversity4All/iNaturalist, and we assessed the influence of day of the week, month, public holidays, temperature, rainfall, wind, and snow. Citizen scientists recorded more observations at weekends, during spring, and under mild weather conditions. Very hot or cold days, heavy rainfall, and strong winds were associated with fewer observations, while public holidays and snowfall had little influence. Recognising these predictable social, seasonal, and weather-related patterns can improve data interpretation and should also inform the design and timing of citizen science programmes to support participation and data collection.

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