A Novel Method to Handle the Effect of Uneven Sampling Effort in Biodiversity Databases

Pardo, Iker; Pata, María P.; Gómez, Daniel; García, María Begoña Villar

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0052786

Cited by 17 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 90 publications

(117 reference statements)

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“…A serious impediment in area scoring is the lack of comprehensive data sets. Moreover, scientific literature provides examples of the type of bias found in databases (Bruno et al, 2012;Pardo et al, 2013). This problem was also detected in our study.…”

Section: The Effect Of Field Prospecting Intensity On Ipa Selectionsupporting

confidence: 81%

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The role of criteria in selecting important areas for conservation in biodiversity‐rich territories

Dios

Cabal

Lozano

et al. 2017

Diversity and Distributions

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Aim To improve our knowledge of the process of selection of important plant areas (IPAs), a recent requirement of the Global Strategy for Plant Conservation. The study was conducted at a hotspot of plant conservation in the European continent, using a comprehensive database of plant species distribution in the area.Location Spain.Methods We used range distribution data for 3218 vascular plants found in Spain, in the form of 10 km UTM squares, totalling 169,124 species occurrences across 5508 UTM cells. We identified IPAs by scoring threat status, endemism, rarity, phylogeny and species richness. We then performed two different analyses, with and without incorporating the species richness score of every square. Finally, a null model was used to obtain a general pattern of species occurrences, we computed an index of occurrence richness (SI), and then we selected a number of specific territories of different sizes to reveal differences in sampling effort within the study area.Results We identified IPAs in Spain according to the proposed scoring method. We detected a positive relationship among richness and total score calculated with the rest of the criteria. However, endemism and threat status produced certain specific effects for species-poor squares. Regarding sample bias, we detected over-and under-recorded areas. This bias seems to be due to the accumulation of field prospecting in species-rich areas in detriment to poor areas.Main conclusions We envisage two different approaches to address IPA selection in hotspots. First, we advocate a complementary scoring-mapping method for areas where a relatively large amount of range distribution data and plant knowledge is available. Secondly, as richness per se encompasses a great amount of biogeographical information, we suggest using species richness or any other environmental surrogate to delineate preliminary IPAs in poorly known but species-rich territories.

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Section: The Effect Of Field Prospecting Intensity On Ipa Selectionsupporting

confidence: 81%

“…Moreover, scientific literature provides examples of the type of bias found in databases (Bruno et al, 2012;Pardo et al, 2013). Moreover, scientific literature provides examples of the type of bias found in databases (Bruno et al, 2012;Pardo et al, 2013).…”

Section: The Effect Of Field Prospecting Intensity On Ipa Selectionmentioning

confidence: 99%

The role of criteria in selecting important areas for conservation in biodiversity‐rich territories

Dios

Cabal

Lozano

et al. 2017

Diversity and Distributions

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“…Although these studies were not based on primary biodiversity data, but rather on literature references, they also found high species richness in small numbers of well-sampled areas (Kier et al, 2005). A new method exploring sampling completeness with species accumulation curves has made some progress in overcoming sampling effort biases (Pardo et al, 2013). A new method exploring sampling completeness with species accumulation curves has made some progress in overcoming sampling effort biases (Pardo et al, 2013).…”

Section: Digital Accessible Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

“…A recent study of primary biodiversity data reached similar conclusions: high species richness concentrated in few wellsampled areas . A new method exploring sampling completeness with species accumulation curves has made some progress in overcoming sampling effort biases (Pardo et al, 2013).…”

Section: Digital Accessible Knowledgementioning

confidence: 99%

Completeness of digital accessible knowledge of the plants of Brazil and priorities for survey and inventory

Sousa‐Baena

Garcia

Peterson

2013

Diversity and Distributions

170

200

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Aim Biodiversity information is the focus of major initiatives aimed at assembling large-scale primary-data documentation ('digital accessible knowledge') of the distribution of life on Earth. Recent efforts within Brazil have assembled a massive amount of such documentation for Brazilian plants, which we analyse in this study. Our aim is to identify areas representing gaps in current knowledge; these gaps can guide future botanical exploration and discovery in Brazil. Location Brazil.Methods We assessed angiosperm inventories across Brazil at diverse spatial scales using statistics that summarize inventory completeness. In particular, we assess the completeness of geographical knowledge of Brazilian floras as measured in terms of geographical distance and climatic difference from welldocumented sites.Results Spatial knowledge of Brazilian angiosperms is very unevenly distributed: well-known sites are concentrated in eastern and southern regions, whereas the remainder of the country remains poorly documented. Worse still, in many regions, areas lacking detailed botanical documentation coincide with areas of intense habitat destruction, such that many such sites will never be documented scientifically.Main conclusions This study illustrates how biodiversity survey and inventory efforts can be guided by existing knowledge. That is, to the extent that existing biodiversity knowledge is made digital and openly available, and to the extent that information is sufficiently comprehensive and informative, spatial summaries of completeness such as that presented here offer clear and strategic directions for maximizing the yield of new knowledge from any de novo field efforts.

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“…For example, protected area networks or red lists can be wrongly defined and represent unrealistic situations when planning is based on geographically or taxonomically biased information (Possingham et al 2002, Boakes et al 2010, Le Saout et al 2013. For this reason, the development of effective methods to overcome knowledge gaps on biodiversity aim to produce less biased databases that can better support decision-making (Pardo et al 2013, Sousa-Baena et al 2014). These initiatives, however, primarily aim to fill knowledge gaps on the identity of species and their geographic distribution, respectively, the Linnaean and Wallacean shortfalls.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing bias and knowledge gaps on seed ecology research: implications for conservation agenda and policy

Ribeiro

Teixido

Barbosa

et al. 2016

Ecological Applications

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Sampling biases permeate ecological research and result in knowledge gaps that have vital consequences for conservation planning. The consequences of knowledge gaps on species identity and distribution (the Wallacean and Linnean shortfalls, respectively) have become apparent recently, but we know little about the extent that research biases and knowledge gaps on traits that influence species' niches (the Hutchinsonian shortfall) affect conservation policy. To examine whether knowledge of species' traits based on seed ecology is geographically, phylogenetically, and ecologically biased, we retrieved research data on seed germination, seed dormancy, seed dispersal, seed banks, seed predation, and seed removal from a database of 847 papers, 1648 species, and 5322 cases. Brazil was selected as a model system for megadiverse, undersampled countries. Kernel density maps showed that research was geographically biased towards highly populated sites, with vast areas remaining historically unexplored. We also show that research was clustered into protected areas. We detected a significant positive phylogenetic bias at genus-level, indicating research concentration in few genera and lower relative bias rates for many herbaceous genera. Unexpectedly, information on seed banking was available for only 74 (3.4%) of threatened species, which suggests that information deficits are highest for species with critical needs for ex situ conservation strategies. Tree, fleshy-fruited, and biotic dispersal species were disproportionately overstudied. Our data indicate that information deficits on seed ecology preclude our ability to effectively restore ecosystems and to safeguard endangered species. We call for a systematic improvement of environmental agenda in which policy makers and scientists target sites, clades, and functional groups historically neglected. Lessons from developed countries and collaborative efforts will be important for megadiverse, underdeveloped countries to achieve the targets of international agreements that depend on seed ecology knowledge aiming to secure biological diversity and ecosystem services.

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A Novel Method to Handle the Effect of Uneven Sampling Effort in Biodiversity Databases

Cited by 17 publications

References 90 publications

The role of criteria in selecting important areas for conservation in biodiversity‐rich territories

The role of criteria in selecting important areas for conservation in biodiversity‐rich territories

Completeness of digital accessible knowledge of the plants of Brazil and priorities for survey and inventory

Assessing bias and knowledge gaps on seed ecology research: implications for conservation agenda and policy

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