Since I’ve retired I’ve become more involved with citizen science. It’s been a wonderful on-going learning experience to be part of these communities coming together to try to better understand the natural world and our place within it. The SA Natureteers Facebook group is one such community.
The 2025 Harmful Algal Bloom in South Australian coastal waters has been a major disaster. Citizen science projects have been essential in recording the marine mortalities on theiNaturalist database and the distribution of the different types of phytoplankton in the bloom via the SA Phytoplankton groups. I have ended up being closely involved in these projects, as one of the few people around with the mix of knowledge in marine biology, toxin biochemistry and the general structure and function of animals, including humans. Consequently, I have given several talks at public forums. My website and links to it in social media have become key resources for the public trying to understand how the bloom organisms interact with marine life. Click here to see more about the algal bloom and how the toxins work.