2026/06/02 by Quan‐Hoang Vuong, Manh-Tung Ho, Viet-Phuong La +1 · 1 voice
Environmental Science · Psychology · #Species Distribution and Climate Change #Animal and Plant Science Education #Conservation, Ecology, Wildlife Education
paper · doi:10.1111/cobi.70331
openalex publication_date 2026/06/02 · openalex created_date 2026/06/04 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/22
The accelerating climate and biodiversity crises expose ecosystems already under severe stress, yet scientific knowledge production and communication remain largely unidirectional and didactic, constraining timely and integrated responses. This paper argues that combining citizen science with the cultivation of a nature quotient (NQ)-the capacity to perceive and organize the interconnections and dynamic interactions among humans, wildlife, ecosystems, and climate systems-is essential for advancing two-way environmental knowledge systems. Citizen engagement broadens data collection, grounds science in more detailed relational knowledge, and fosters ecological intelligence across society. Cultivating an individual and collective NQ can democratize science, enhance resilience to misinformation, and catalyze a shift toward ecosurplus culture, enabling societies to respond more proactively and intelligently to climate and environmental degradation crises.