Citizen science
Citizen science, in general, means the participation of the public in science and research. It is an open and inclusive approach, with key characteristics including: (1) citizens are actively involved in research; and (2) there is a genuine science outcome, such as new scientific knowledge, conservation action or policy change.
Source: European Citizen Science Association https://www.ecsa.ngo/faqs/
Microbiome
A microbiome describes a community of microorganisms – such as bacteria, archaea, viruses and fungi – along with their structural elements and metabolites, existing in a specific environment.
Microbiomes are found in and on humans, animals and plants, and they exist on land, in the air and in the water. They encompass the full ecosystem of microorganisms in a particular place, like in the gut, on the skin, or within soil. Whereas the assembly of microorganisms living together in a habitat is called “microbiota”, the microbiome expands this to include how the different microorganisms interact with each other and their surroundings.
This concept is based on the idea of a “biome”, which encompasses both the living (biotic) and the non-living (abiotic) factors of an environment.
Source: Berg, G., Rybakova, D., Fischer, D. et al. Microbiome definition re-visited: old concepts and new challenges. Microbiome 8, 103 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40168-020-00875-0