293-3 Takeaways from ‘Mussel Day’: Assessing Mill Creek Mussel and Community Science Data Quality with a Community Engagement Project

Session: Deliver the Message: Harness Diverse Media and Divergent Methods to Describe and Depict Geoscience Information (Posters)

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Community science projects that involve public participation in scientific data collection can increase engagement with science and support conservation projects. However, perceptions that avocational participants collect poor-quality data hinder broader adoption. In 2018, three species of freshwater mussels (Lampsilis siliquoidea, Lasmigona complanata, and Pyganodon grandis, 241 individuals) were reintroduced to the Mill Creek (Cincinnati, OH) after having been locally eradicated in the early 1900s. Unfortunately, a 2024 survey did not find evidence of living individuals. In response, the Mill Creek Alliance partnered with the University of Cincinnati (UC) Department of Geosciences, the Center for Public Engagement with Science, and Thomas More University to create "Mussel Day." This community science initiative assessed (1) whether water depth and sediment quality contributed to the unsuccessful reintroduction and (2) the quality of data collected by community scientists. During two events, 20 participants traversed five transects and used underwater cameras to search for shells, used six-foot rules to measure water depth from canoes, and classified river sediment by grain size, roundness, and sorting. We then compared the depth data collected by volunteers to that collected by professional geoscientists (UC faculty, graduate students, and staff). All participants completed a post-event survey about their perceived level of future engagement with community science projects. Results indicated that water-depth at the reintroduction site was deeper than preferred by Lampsilis siliquoidea and Lasmigona complanata. We also found that water depth data taken by volunteers was not significantly different from those taken by professionals. However, sediment sorting and grain size classifications were significantly different between volunteers and professionals. All groups documented that sediment in two of the five transects was unsuitable for mussel habitat, consisting primarily of large boulders and cobbles. Completed post-participation surveys revealed that 90% of participants would attend future Mill Creek Alliance activities and considered themselves contributors to the scientific community. Data collected during “Mussel Day” indicated that the water depth profile and local sediments where mussels were released in 2018 likely hampered the success of the reintroduction. Our work also highlights how community science projects can promote positive scientific engagement by the public and provide high-quality data when participants are recording measurements using familiar tools (i.e., rulers). Additional community scientist training in classification systems (e.g., grain rounding) may increase data quality.

Geological Society of America Abstracts with Program. Vol. 57, No. 6, 2025

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