Global soil science research collaboration in the 21st century: Time to end helicopter research

Minasny, Budiman; Fiantis, Dian; Mulyanto, Budi; Sulaeman, Yiyi; Widyatmanti, Wirastuti

doi:10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114299

Cited by 78 publications

(72 citation statements)

References 11 publications

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“…Regardless of the technology used to develop such plants and microbes, their function as biotic factors in agroecosystems need to be well-integrated into Sustainable Food Systems conceptual frameworks (Hansen et al, 2017;Afzal et al, 2020). There is need to address disparities in research partnerships related to Rhizobium-legume symbioses and other similar plant and soil associated technologies (Giller, 2020;Minasny et al, 2020;Ochieno, 2020). Investment in research on various aspects of Rhizobium-legume interactions is necessary for the application of such plant growth promoting microbes for Sustainable Food Systems.…”

Section: Future Prospectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rhizobium-Linked Nutritional and Phytochemical Changes Under Multitrophic Functional Contexts in Sustainable Food Systems

Ochieno

Karoney

Muge

et al. 2021

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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Rhizobia are bacteria that exhibit both endophytic and free-living lifestyles. Endophytic rhizobial strains are widely known to infect leguminous host plants, while some do infect non-legumes. Infection of leguminous roots often results in the formation of root nodules. Associations between rhizobia and host plants may result in beneficial or non-beneficial effects. Such effects are linked to various biochemical changes that have far-reaching implications on relationships between host plants and the dependent multitrophic biodiversity. This paper explores relationships that exist between rhizobia and various plant species. Emphasis is on nutritional and phytochemical changes that occur in rhizobial host plants, and how such changes affect diverse consumers at different trophic levels. The purpose of this paper is to bring into context various aspects of such interactions that could improve knowledge on the application of rhizobia in different fields. The relevance of rhizobia in sustainable food systems is addressed in context.

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Section: Future Prospectsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rhizobium-Linked Nutritional and Phytochemical Changes Under Multitrophic Functional Contexts in Sustainable Food Systems

Ochieno

Karoney

Muge

et al. 2021

Front. Sustain. Food Syst.

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“…As UAVs are still an emerging technology, trends of helicopter research could be avoided. The 72 studies identified in this paper are just a sliver of the entirety of mangrove research; however, this problem has been identified across many disciplines and tools (Parsons et al, 2017;Minasny et al, 2020). By focusing on technology transfer, scientific equity, and collaborative processes across regions, the benefits of aerial tools could be harnessed globally and lead to greater collective knowledge generation.…”

Section: Current Challenges and Recommendations For Uavsmentioning

confidence: 98%

“…Establishing sustained monitoring requires building capacity and transferring technology (and associated technological skills) with these communities (Bax et al, 2018). Lower income countries are especially vulnerable to "helicopter research, " the process of researchers from high-income countries conducting field research in lower income countries without local researchers involved in the study or benefiting from the results; a trend spotted in soil science, biology, and genomics (Minasny et al, 2020). Thus, capacity development and technology transfer have been highlighted as priorities by the World Ocean Assessment, UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission, and the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development (UN Ocean Decade) (Inniss et al, 2016;Bax et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Challenges and Recommendations for Equitable Use of Aerial Tools for Mangrove Research

et al. 2021

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As the use of aerial tools such as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for mangrove monitoring gains in popularity, understanding who leads this research and where is critical for expanding efficient monitoring methods and achieving international commitments to sustainable development, technology transfer and reduced inequality. Between 2000 and 2019, mangrove research using aerial tools was largely conducted in and led by institutions in higher income countries, despite High-income countries accounting for only 9% of global mangrove coverage. Of studies where the country of the lead institution differed from that of the study site, only 38% of the studies included local co-authors. These results echo historical patterns of research conducted by researchers from higher income countries on biodiversity concentrated in lower income countries, frequently with limited involvement of local scientists—known as “helicopter research.” The disconnect between where mangroves are located and where aerial research is conducted may result from barriers such as government restrictions, limited financial and technical resources, language barriers hindering UAV deployment, or hampered findability of local research. Our findings suggest that expertise for aerial surveys currently lies in “High-income, Annex II” and “Upper-middle-income, Non-Annex” countries, and both groups could invest time and resources in building local, long-term technological capacity in Upper-middle, Lower-middle and Low-income countries. We identify strategic partnerships to expand aerial tools for mangrove research that also address commitments under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and potential international collaborations under the framework proposed by the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development.

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“… 27 This situation also arises in One Health, thus, for example, helicoptering has been used for collecting samples for soil monitoring as described above. 28 Bockarie et al 29 argue that this is because of limited infrastructure and capacity in the Global South, which major funders are now beginning to address. However, there is still a lot of ethical work to consider and undertake to ensure structural change when your African partners express ‘misgivings’ about the way in which research is being conducted.…”

Section: Sites Of Competing Ethicsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Competing ethics in a pilot strategy to implement parasitology training and research in post-Ebola Sierra Leone

Pena-Fernandez

Anjum

Wadoum

et al. 2020

International Health

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Much of the focus of public health research post-Ebola in Sierra Leone has been on rebuilding the healthcare system. However, very little attention has focused on capacity building in knowledge necessary for (bio)medical research, specifically around emerging opportunistic human pathogens that contribute to the high morbidity and mortality rates in Sierra Leone. In collaboration with academic staff from the University of Makeni, we engaged in a small-scale pilot intervention to strengthen medical parasitology teaching and research. The cultural competencies and ethical expertise provided by Sierra Leonean academics was critical to work in local communities and ensuring consent to undertake research. Yet, at the end of a day of collecting samples, in small pieces of conversation, the staff also explained ethical constraints they experienced taking part in research collaborations. They illustrate that, while on the surface all may seem well with a project, there can be harmful effects in terms of accessibility, ownership, cultural responsiveness and accountability, which should be taken into consideration when establishing networks and collaborations with universities from low-income countries.

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Global soil science research collaboration in the 21st century: Time to end helicopter research

Cited by 78 publications

References 11 publications

Rhizobium-Linked Nutritional and Phytochemical Changes Under Multitrophic Functional Contexts in Sustainable Food Systems

Rhizobium-Linked Nutritional and Phytochemical Changes Under Multitrophic Functional Contexts in Sustainable Food Systems

Challenges and Recommendations for Equitable Use of Aerial Tools for Mangrove Research

Competing ethics in a pilot strategy to implement parasitology training and research in post-Ebola Sierra Leone

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