ABSTRACT

Citizens are essential for safeguarding ecosystems from biopollutants, but raising the population’s awareness of the problem through the communication of scientific discoveries about biological invasions is still a challenge. Here, we have assayed an interdisciplinary game-based method of recognizing the invasive pygmy mussel Xenosotrobus securis for volunteers of different age groups, we have measured their learning gain and engagement, and we have compared it with that obtained from conventional talk-lecture training. A highly significant positive correlation was found between knowledge gain and awareness, which were both greater in children than in adults. Similar engagement was achieved in the two age groups regarding volunteering in an eradication project. The results suggest the high efficacy of game-based training, especially in young age groups. One year after the volunteers’ action, environmental DNA surveys and visual inspections confirmed the control of the invasive species population in a defined area through time.

摘要

公民对于保护生态系统免受生物污染物的影响至关重要，但通过传播有关生物入侵的科学发现来提高人们对问题的认识仍然是一个挑战。在这里，我们分析了一种基于跨学科游戏的识别侵入性侏儒贻贝Xenosotrobus securis 的方法对于不同年龄组的志愿者，我们测量了他们的学习收获和参与度，并将其与从传统的演讲培训中获得的结果进行了比较。在知识获取和意识之间发现了非常显着的正相关，这两者在儿童中都比在成人中更大。两个年龄组在参与根除项目的志愿服务方面取得了类似的参与。结果表明基于游戏的训练的有效性很高，尤其是在年轻群体中。志愿者行动一年后，环境 DNA 调查和目视检查证实，随着时间的推移，入侵物种种群在特定区域得到了控制。