Penn biologists create method to correct publicly-collected datasets

A research team led by Penn biologists found a way to correct a dataset collected by members of the public to create a map of Lyme disease-transmitting ticks in the Northeast.

The data collected by the public is normally corrected by controlling for factors relating to the collector, such as the collector’s experience and their level of education, Penn Today reported. The research team did not have that information, so they used county-level demographics and other factors, including a county’s median household income, population size, and racial demographics, instead. 

Apps and websites like eBird and iNaturalist allow members of the public to act as “citizen scientists” by documenting their observations on a wide range of natural phenomena, Penn Today reported. This data greatly exceeds the amount of data collected by professional scientists. However, the presence of collector biases decreases the quality of the data and its utility in scientific research.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Lyme disease and other tick borne illnesses are on the rise. Over the past 20 years, the range of the black-legged tick, which is responsible for most cases of Lyme disease, has more than doubled. Novel tick species and the discovery of new germs also contribute to the growing threat. The CDC recommends taking steps to protect against tick bites, such as avoiding areas with high grass and leaf litter, using Environmental Protection Agency-registered insect repellents, and treating dogs for ticks.

Pennsylvania consistently ranks among the states with the highest number of lyme disease cases annually. The Daily Local News reported that in spring 2021, the Department of Environmental Protection collected twice the amount of black-legged ticks in comparison to last year.