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habitats of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep in Idaho, Oregon, and
Washington. It has enabled scientists to monitor habitat condi-
tions along the Appalachian Trail, which stretches more than 2,000
miles (3,219 km) along America’s East Coast. It has mapped the
potential for wildfire throughout the Unit-
ed States and helped scientists develop
plans to restore forests where fires have
already occurred.
Another way scientists used LAND-
FIRE was to create a map of wild bee
habitats in California. The state is one of
the top-ranked agricultural areas in the
world and leads the nation in agricultural
production and exports overall. California
supplies 99 percent or more of crops such as almonds, garlic,
olives, artichokes, and walnuts. Because bees as pollinators are
crucial for crop production, scientists were asked to determine the
health of California’s bee populations and the habitats that sup-
port them. Using LANDFIRE, scientists mapped bee habitats in
the state’s farm regions and described the conditions that might
influence the health of those regions. Scientists hope that this in-
formation will help California landowners choose agricultural prac-
tices that protect and preserve bee habitats.
Citizen Science
Most scientists do not work alone; they usually collaborate with
other scientists doing similar research. In some cases they team
up with people who are not professional scientists but are inter-
ested in taking part in research. This is at the heart of citizen sci-
ence, which is also called crowd science. Interested citizens vol-
unteer their time to assist scientists with a wide variety of research
projects. These amateur scientists can help in many ways, such
as sharing their observations of certain species, taking photos, or
finding information on the Internet. “Citizen science is important!”
says the Cornell Lab of Ornithology (study of birds). “It’s a partner-
ship between the public and professional scientists that can help
answer questions scientists couldn’t answer on their own.”
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WORDS IN
CONTEXT
data set
A collection of re-
lated data.
