Citizen Science and the Sargassum Challenge: Learning from the Shorelines
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22201/ceide.16076079e.2026.27.2.10Keywords:
Monitoring stranding biomass, transdiscipline, learning, scienceAbstract
The coastlines of the Yucatán Peninsula are facing complex realities due to the massive influx of sargassum. In response to these challenges, the Big Seaweed Search México project emerges as a pathway where scientists and youth from two local ports collaborate to generate knowledge. This citizen science initiative transcends traditional methods by transforming the monitoring of strandings into an exercise of knowledge exchange. By exploring this team’s journey, the possibilities and obstacles of a collaboration that is only possible through dialogue between academia and the community are revealed. Citizen participation transforms perceptions of the marine environment and strengthens beach protection, demonstrating that science is a collective and situated construction.
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