In a nutshell
With increases in human development, there are fewer natural areas that can support many plant and animal species. Given these changes, it is important to maintain diverse plant communities in urban and suburban areas. Even in cities, diverse plant communities contribute to ecosystem functioning and provide resources for pollinators and other animal species. Greener cities also benefit humans by providing shade, clean air, and outdoor respites for all to enjoy.
It can be difficult to quantify and document plant diversity, especially in cities. Yet, accurate information is needed to help manage and enhance plant communities in these areas. Plant data can come from three sources: published scientific studies, unpublished data collected by botanical gardens or other institutions, and volunteer-collected data that are contributed to online platforms like iNaturalist, Budburst, and USA-NPN’s Nature’s Notebook. To understand what each of these sources can tell us about plant species and distributions, a group of researchers gathered data on plants in the Chicago, Illinois area between 2012 and 2022. The researchers gathered more than 171,000 observations, 81% of which came from iNaturalist, Nature’s Notebook, and other community science programs.
Community scientists found more than 1,000 plant species in the Chicago area that were not previously documented in scientific studies or institutional datasets. They also made observations in places not traditionally visited by scientists, like agricultural areas and private backyards. The researchers combined the data collected by community scientists with those collected by scientists There were 283 plant species that professional or institutional scientists documented that were not observed by community scientists,, primarily native species with more specialized habitat needs.
What is special about this study?
The authors combined data that were collected for different purposes to show that information about plant diversity can be found in many different places. They used data collected by professional scientists to answer research questions, plant inventories compiled by botanical gardens, photographs of plants submitted to iNaturalist, and observations about plant phenology submitted to Nature’s Notebook. Combining data from different sources provided a comprehensive assessment of plant communities and how they vary across an urban landscape.
What does this mean for YOU?
The data contributed to public repositories like Nature’s Notebook are incredibly valuable to help document the world around us. Data that you collect about when leaves emerge or flowers open can provide information about phenology and climate change, but may also help document plant diversity, species interactions, and more.
Citation: Taddeo, S., E.F. Snyder, E.C. Anderson, C.M. Porter, T.M. Guider, and K. Havens. 2025. Teamwork makes the dream work: combining community science and expert-led surveys to study urban plant richness and composition. Urban Ecosystems 28:181. https://doi.org/10.1007/s11252-025-01794-4