DISCOV.ER the Biodiversity of a Unique Wetland Site Combining Citizen Science, Gamification, and Generative AI

Climate change poses a growing threat to biodiversity, particularly in fragile ecosystems such as wetlands and coastal regions. The Po Delta, one of Europe’s most significant wetland systems, is particularly vulnerable due to rising sea levels, changing salinity levels, and habitat loss. Within this context, the DISCOV.ER project aims to enhance public awareness and promote sustainable tourism by combining digital innovation and citizen science. This paper presents the DISCOV.ER mobile application, a prototype designed to engage both tourists and locals in exploring the Po Delta natural and cultural heritage in a gamified way, while participating in citizen science activities that help in monitoring the park’s ecosystem. The application merges location-based interactive quests, AI-assisted storytelling elements and collectible strategies to motivate users. We briefly describe the design process, which was carried out through participatory methods, and illustrate the application’s architecture and key features. Finally, we report on preliminary user testing, highlighting the strengths, challenges, and lessons learned in developing an AI-powered application for engaging and educational citizen science experiences that foster biodiversity awareness and monitoring.