Collections, Curiosity and Citizen Science | GALLANT

GALLANT (Glasgow as A Living Lab Accelerating Novel Transformation) is a five-year partnership between the University of Glasgow, Glasgow City Council, local partners and communities.

It’s working to tackle some of Glasgow’s biggest environmental challenges – flooding, biodiversity loss, contaminated land – whilst improving active travel, sustainable energy and community wellbeing.

Through the project, the University and partners are testing out sustainable solutions across the city to create a more climate-resilient future for all of us.

Jeanne Robinson, Curator of Entomology at The Hunterian, explains how our natural history collections contribute to understanding Glasgow’s changing wildlife, support this biodiversity research, and help engage communities in citizen science.

The Hunterian has been working closely with the GALLANT team, particularly in supporting their biodiversity research and community engagement.

Biodiverse places are more resilient in a rapidly changing world, and making Glasgow more resilient in the face of climate change is one of GALLANT’s key aims.

Historical Collections and Changing Nature

Despite British wildlife being relatively well studied, there is still lots to learn about our urban ecosystems and all the organisms we share our city with.

Our environment and the species we live alongside are dynamic and constantly changing over time. However, the rate of change is accelerating due to climate change.

Natural history collections, including those at The Hunterian, provide a window into the past. Our specimens hold important baseline data which enable us to make observations about historical wildlife populations and communities.

Comparing observations from the past and present helps us to better understand the impacts of climate change.

This can help us manage our environments better, for the benefit of all the city’s human and more-than-human residents in the future.

Photograph of a collection display showcasing various Glasgow moth species, including both moths and caterpillars, arranged with labels identifying each specimen. The display features diverse sizes, colours, and patterns, with notable examples like the large Death's-head hawk moth and several smaller moths, alongside plant samples used as habitats. — *A selection of Glasgow moths (left) and Glasgow butterflies (right), and their respective caterpillars, from the Hunterian collections. GLAHM:175861 and GLAHM:175860.*

A photograph of a butterfly collection display titled "Glasgow butterflies" - showcasing various butterfly species native to Glasgow arranged in rows with labels. The display includes butterflies of different sizes and colours, alongside caterpillars and plant specimens, highlighting diversity and identification details. — *A selection of Glasgow moths (left) and Glasgow butterflies (right), and their respective caterpillars, from the Hunterian collections. GLAHM:175861 and GLAHM:175860.*

Green Corridors

We know that the loss of green spaces, and bigger gaps between the remaining green ‘islands’ is very bad for biodiversity. Well-connected green spaces, or ‘green corridors’, allow our wildlife to move more easily in response to a rapidly changing world.

They provide better access to new places to feed, live, or breed. This connectivity becomes even more important when existing habitats become unsuitable due to environmental changes, such as flooding, drought or reduced access to food.

To better understand Glasgow’s green corridors, the University’s biodiversity researchers have been studying the land along the River Kelvin – starting from where it meets the River Clyde, all the way out to the city boundary to the north.

They’ve been recording wildlife encounters, and capturing images and sound recordings of animal activity throughout this stretch of the Kelvin.

A satellite map showing the urban and rural areas of Glasgow, with a white boundary line enclosing a section of land and a blue river running through it. White dots mark specific points along the river, with a scale bar and north arrow at the bottom left indicating distances and orientation. — *Map showing sample sites (white dots) along the River Kelvin*.

Photograph of a young deer with small antlers walking through a grassy, wooded area. The scene captures natural habitat with green foliage and tree trunks in the background. — *Deer and fox caught on camera trap.*

Photograph showing a fox walking across a grassy area near a body of water, surrounded by rocks and sparse vegetation. The scene is captured in natural light. — *Deer and fox caught on camera trap.*

Garden Biodiveristy

Private gardens also form an important network of urban green spaces for wildlife on the move, often supporting a wide variety of plants and habitats. Collectively, gardens provide more green space in the UK than all public green spaces and parks combined.

However, gathering data on the biodiversity in private gardens can be challenging for researchers because of the practicalities of access.

With the enthusiastic support of Glasgow’s local gardeners, researchers have been able to thoroughly investigate the role of private and community gardens, and allotments, in supporting pollinating insect biodiversity in Glasgow.

As a result, community members now know which species of pollinators can be found in the city, including in their own gardens, and which plant species they can grow to best support a greater diversity of pollinators!

These combined river corridor and garden investigations will provide valuable insights into the wildlife that relies on Glasgow’s green corridors and garden habitats, and how these areas can be better connected to encourage biodiversity in the city.

Photograph of a residential garden featuring a green lawn surrounded by various shrubs and trees under a partly cloudy sky. Hanging glass ornaments and a wooden bench near a birdbath add decorative elements, with sunlight casting shadows across the grass. — *Participant’s Glasgow garden*.

Citizen Science: Engaging Communities in Biodiversity Research

GALLANT biodiversity research has benefitted greatly from community contributions.

As well as opening their gardens to university researchers, the wider Glasgow community has offered invaluable support through wildlife-focused citizen science projects.

The Hunterian has delivered and supported outreach sessions for community members of all ages and abilities, introducing them to a wide range of citizen science research projects.

We have also provided budding citizen scientists with preserved examples of the species they are likely to encounter when recording wildlife in Glasgow, helping them identify these more easily.

Being outdoors and more connected to nature encourages us to slow down, improves our awareness and mood, and makes us more likely to engage in other nature-friendly activities.

Citizen science initiatives that encourage people to spend time in the natural world, carefully observing their surroundings, are proven to benefit not only researchers and wildlife, but also the citizen scientists themselves.

iNaturalist: Crowdsourcing Wildlife Records

As part of GALLANT, a project called ‘River Kelvin Wildlife’ was set up using iNaturalist – a free, user-friendly platform connecting a community of millions of wildlife enthusiasts and scientists.

Community members help each other learn more about nature, whilst creating research-quality data for scientists. The Hunterian provided top tips and practical assistance on how to use iNaturalist and how to get any of your existing wildlife snaps into the public domain; doing something useful for biodiversity conservation locally and globally.

The collective observational and recording power of the wider community is truly impressive. To date, over 17,000 records of around 2,000 different species of animal, plant and fungi have been added to the River Kelvin Wildlife project by over 1,200 citizen scientists.

Over 2,000 citizen scientists have devoted their time and expertise to identify the species encountered.

Screenshot of an observations dashboard showing wildlife sightings, featuring photos and names of eight species including Feral Pigeon, Eastern Grey Squirrel, and Harlequin Ladybird. The interface highlights 16,387 total observations, 1,987 species, 2,170 identifiers, and 1,145 observers, with species cards displaying images, identification status, and user interaction icons. — *Citizen science observations on iNaturalist (left), map showing species sightings along the River Kelvin (right).*

Satellite map showing Glasgow and surrounding areas with a dense cluster of multicoloured markers concentrated along a north-south corridor through the city. Markers appear in various colours including red, blue, green, and pink, indicating different categories or data points, with a yellow shaded area highlighting a specific region of interest. — *Citizen science observations on iNaturalist (left), map showing species sightings along the River Kelvin (right).*

CommuniMap: Co-creating Climate Solutions

Together with local researchers, GALLANT’s community team have developed a bespoke platform called CommuniMap. This easy-to-use community science app helps people of all ages notice, record and share what they see in their neighbourhoods.

CommuniMappers can record whatever they like about the trees and nature they encounter. They are also encouraged to share their thoughts and observations around flooding, active travel, local energy and composting.

It isn’t just about gathering data, it’s about paying attention, reflecting together and adding your perspective.

Everyone’s observations – no matter how small – build a bigger picture of how people and places are changing, and ultimately helping to shape a greener, more climate-ready city.

CommuniMap contributors are co-researchers, not just participants. They have a wealth of knowledge, experience and skills to offer. Their voices will inform how GALLANT’s environmental initiatives are ultimately designed, delivered and evaluated.

The Hunterian is collaborating with GALLANT to explore ways of working with their co-researchers and showcasing both the CommuniMap records and wider project findings.

Screenshot of an interactive digital map from communiMap showing a nature reserve area with marked locations featuring bird icons. The map uses green and beige tones to represent terrain and paths, with a sidebar displaying a photo of a black bird and descriptive text about its habitat and behaviour.

Illustration promoting communiMap, an app developed at University of Glasgow for community storytelling and mapping in Glasgow. Features a cityscape with landmarks, a QR code for app access, and vibrant text highlighting app functions and city pride.

CommuniMap: crow record (left) and promotional material (right).

New Species for Glasgow

The GALLANT biodiversity studies have already revealed a number of insect species that had not previously been recorded in Glasgow. Our collections have been invaluable in identifying these overlooked insects, which may have been here undetected for some time.

Read GALLANT PhD student Emma Plant’s blog, Glasgow Garden Pollinators, to find out more about the importance of collections for identification.

Photograph of a pinned hoverfly specimen viewed from above, showing detailed wing venation and body markings. Specimen features black and yellow striped abdomen, transparent wings with dark veins, and a scale bar indicating 2.5 mm for size reference. — *Two hoverfly species recorded in Glasgow for the first time by GALLANT researchers, identified and photographed at The Hunterian*.

Photograph of a small black and yellow hoverfly pinned for display, showing detailed side view of wings, legs, and large eyes. Scale bar at bottom right indicates size approximately 1 millimetre, highlighting insect's minute dimensions and anatomical features. — *Two hoverfly species recorded in Glasgow for the first time by GALLANT researchers, identified and photographed at The Hunterian*.

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Collections, Curiosity and Citizen Science: Mapping Glasgow’s Biodiversity