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Citizen Science Smartphone Pedo Application Exhibiting Multifaceted Ecosystem Services of Arid Soil in Oman

2022; RELX Group (Netherlands); Linguagem: Inglês

10.2139/ssrn.4123757

1556-5068

Yousuf Al-Rawahy, Abdullah Al-Shibli, Noof Al-Mukhaini, Ashraf Al-Sabahi, Maimuna Al-Wahaibi, Ishaq Al-Naabi, Al-Husain Al-Thuhli, Salha Al-Balushi, Ahmed Al-Mayhai, A. R. Kacimov, Said Al‐Ismaily,

Animal and Plant Science Education

Citizen science (CS) is booming in different disciplines (e.g. social sciences, medicine, environmental sciences, astronomy, etc.), albeit soils, with a highly nontrivial bricolage of their functions are still not properly incorporated in synergetic dyads of studies by academia and communities. Moreover, in the MENA region CS projects for dryland soils do not exist. This study introduced the first CS-involving mobile App “PEDO” for the Omani soils. The connectivity between soil scientists and local communities is established by “PEDO”, which is designed to stimulate environmental monitoring, pedometrics, data-knowledge sharing of the soils in Oman for cooperative decision-making and planning in the framework of the concept of ecosystem services (ES). Our work incorporates:collection of pedological field data on morphological nature of soil profiles in excavated pedons of arid Omanphysicochemical laboratory analyses of soil samples in university labsvisitation and documentation of soil-related information from selected industrial, urban and rural sites, as well as historical attractions in several Wilayats of Omancreation and launch of the smartphone android application,survey-based evaluation of users’ perceptions toward “PEDO” using an online questionnaire.We unveil the intricacy and integrative nature of ES of arid soils in Oman. Our work illustrates that the soils of arid Oman are valuable assets, which provide a wide range and socio-economic benefits in agriculture, industries, education, tourism, among others.The “PEDO” Application:enlightens local people-laymen in soil sciences in general;engraves and fosters the ethical and ecological appreciation of the Omani soils in the mindset of the citizens, including school pupils and their teachers, scholars of various disciplines, decision makers, politicians, among others;facilitates an outreach web-based delivery mechanism and digital platform through the establishment of a CS soil projects and data bases;augments citizens’ support and commitment in understanding, protecting, appreciating the valuable Omani soil resources.Respondents to the survey (n=70) illustrated various potential utilities of “PEDO” (e.g. understanding trends in time series of soil qualitative and quantitative descriptors, assessment of soils’ suitability for urban-rural planning, conceiving technical parameters of soils as key media in agriculture/construction, facilitation of tourism to particular geographical loci and ensued development, including investments, etc.). The majority (87%) believe that “PEDO” stimulates environmental monitoring, data and knowledge sharing of the Omani soils among academia, the end-users and decision-makers. “PEDO” opens new horizons in high-tech involvement of citizens of an arid country to be more comprehensive and collaborative in boosting the ES of dryland soils from theoretical concepts to the grass-root applications and advances. University soil scientists also gain via:tapping the in-situ human resources in remote areas of Omanlearning unexpected, even paradoxical features of arid soils.