David Corliss is the principal data scientist at Grafham Analytics and the founder of Peace-Work, a Data for Good nongovernmental organization.
Each year in April, Earth Day offers an opportunity to refocus on protecting this planet we share with all living things. This year, I want to talk about opportunities to address one of the most pressing challenges facing us today: The environmental impacts from climate change, habitat destruction, and other factors that have resulted in species of all types disappearing at an alarming rate.
The rapidly increasing loss of species constitutes a new mass extinction event that demands immediate action. Because of the essential role statisticians and data scientists play in tracking, forecasting, and guiding the response to this global crisis, data analysis of species loss was identified as a Top Challenge in Data for Good for 2024.
Arctic environments are among the areas most severely affected by climate change and other factors. As is often the case in Data for Good, there is a wealth of raw data sources available and too few statisticians and data scientists engaged in exploring and analyzing them. One good source for data in the arctic comes from NOAA Fisheries, which focuses on programs and projects working to conserve ocean life and habitat.
As is often the case in Data for Good, there is a wealth of raw data sources available and too few statisticians and data scientists engaged in exploring and analyzing them.
At the ASA’s Conference of Statistical Practice in February, I had the opportunity to sit down with Jason Gasper from NOAA and Jennifer Cahalan from the Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission, who were presenting on random forest classification to study fishery data. They told me about NOAA’s bottom trawl surveys, which capture data and monitor the health of marine populations in the Bering Sea and Gulf of Alaska. This critical environmental science program has a website with data reports that can support analysis. There are also opportunities for volunteers to assist on board.
Another important NOAA program uses areal photography to collect data on beluga whales, freshwater seals, and other marine mammals. A program designed to monitor the population of bowhead whales ended up collecting data on many species. In 2011, it was combined with other programs to form the Aerial Surveys of Arctic Marine Mammals project, which led to the creation of a publicly available longitudinal database of animals observed by the aerial survey. Because the database contains so much data on marine mammals collected over many years, partnering with the project offers many opportunities in environmental research.
While populations of some marine mammals as apex predators are critical indicators of the health of an ecosystem, it’s necessary to look at the bottom of the food chain also. Bees make up one of the most important populations in entire ecosystems but can be overlooked. Because they are affected by many of the environmental toxins people release into the environment, the APHIS National Honey Bee Survey is an invaluable resource for understanding bees and population health, as well as for tracking environmental toxins in general. The data and other resources are available through their online research portal and organized by state using interactive maps. Data is available on environmental toxins—especially pesticides—disease prevalence, and colony loss over winter.
Of course, genetic diversity involves more than animals. Plant species face the same challenges from anthropogenic climate change, habitat loss, and environmental toxins. Monoculture also reduces genetic diversity needed for healthy, resilient populations. The result of all these factors is that today’s mass extinction is seen in plants, as well. An important example is seagrass meadows, which are being destroyed by rising sea levels. The United Nations Programme World Conservation Monitoring Centre maintains a freely available for non-commercial use global database on the distribution of seagrasses, providing essential data needed for research on this little-known tracer of climate change.
These are just a few examples of potential data to be used in projects to address the ongoing mass extinction. The United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity provides a framework for scientific research and action. These ideas can support new research, student projects, Earth Day hackathons, and conference presentations and posters. Statisticians and data scientists around the world can play a vital role in meeting the challenge of this existential threat to the global habitat.
Getting Involved
To find more Earth Day opportunities, check out the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, where you will find data, projects, potential colleagues, and resources. Also, the ASA’s Government Statistics and Social Statistics sections are accepting applications for the 2024 Wray Jackson Smith Scholarship, which provides $1,000 for career development in government statistics. Applications are due by May 1.
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