Biased research generates large gaps on invertebrate biota knowledge in Brazilian freshwater ecosystems
Research biases are common and constant issues in biological research, with major consequences for biodiversity conservation. Freshwaters represent one of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide, but knowledge of freshwater biota is unevenly distributed due to bias toward marine and terrestrial gro...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2020-07-01
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| Series: | Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2530064420300377 |
| _version_ | 1818389168902897664 |
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| author | Graciele de Barros Maiara Tábatha da Silva Brito Luiza Moura Peluso Érika de Faria Thiago J. Izzo Alberto L. Teixido |
| author_facet | Graciele de Barros Maiara Tábatha da Silva Brito Luiza Moura Peluso Érika de Faria Thiago J. Izzo Alberto L. Teixido |
| author_sort | Graciele de Barros |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Research biases are common and constant issues in biological research, with major consequences for biodiversity conservation. Freshwaters represent one of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide, but knowledge of freshwater biota is unevenly distributed due to bias toward marine and terrestrial groups. Therefore, detecting biases and associated knowledge gaps is crucial to steer future research effort and to guide applicable conservation policies for freshwater ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the existence of biases and gaps in knowledge about the biodiversity of invertebrate fauna (zooplankton, mollusks and freshwater crabs) in the hydrographic regions of Brazil. We searched for all studies published in this country on zooplankton, mollusks and freshwater crabs, in the Web of Science database. Subsequently, the number of papers was classified by taxonomic group and hydrographic region to detect research biases. Each report within a paper between a given taxonomic group and a hydrographic region was termed as a case. We also recorded human population density for each hydrographic region. Among the taxonomic groups, zooplankton was the most studied taxon, followed by mollusks and crabs, and it was also dominant across the hydrographic regions. The hydrographic region of Paraná comprised the largest number of cases for the three invertebrate groups. We detected a disproportionately low increase of number of cases in relation to human population density in the hydrographic regions. The identification of the major gaps reported here limits our ability to draw scenarios for the conservation of hydrographic regions and their megadiverse biota in Brazil. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:37:27Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-5c67ed5fd12e487f8a9f7eddfc435a50 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2530-0644 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-14T04:37:27Z |
| publishDate | 2020-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation |
| spelling | doaj.art-5c67ed5fd12e487f8a9f7eddfc435a502022-12-21T23:16:53ZengElsevierPerspectives in Ecology and Conservation2530-06442020-07-01183190196Biased research generates large gaps on invertebrate biota knowledge in Brazilian freshwater ecosystemsGraciele de Barros0Maiara Tábatha da Silva Brito1Luiza Moura Peluso2Érika de Faria3Thiago J. Izzo4Alberto L. Teixido5Programa de Pós Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Avenida Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, CEP: 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, Brazil; Corresponding author.Programa de Pós Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Avenida Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, CEP: 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, BrazilPrograma de Pós Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Avenida Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, CEP: 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, BrazilPrograma de Pós Graduação em Ecologia e Conservação da Biodiversidade, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Avenida Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, CEP: 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, BrazilDepartamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Avenida Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, CEP: 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, BrazilDepartamento de Botânica e Ecologia, Universidade Federal de Mato Grosso, Avenida Fernando Corrêa da Costa, 2367, CEP: 78060-900, Cuiabá, Mato Grosso, BrazilResearch biases are common and constant issues in biological research, with major consequences for biodiversity conservation. Freshwaters represent one of the most threatened ecosystems worldwide, but knowledge of freshwater biota is unevenly distributed due to bias toward marine and terrestrial groups. Therefore, detecting biases and associated knowledge gaps is crucial to steer future research effort and to guide applicable conservation policies for freshwater ecosystems. In this study, we investigated the existence of biases and gaps in knowledge about the biodiversity of invertebrate fauna (zooplankton, mollusks and freshwater crabs) in the hydrographic regions of Brazil. We searched for all studies published in this country on zooplankton, mollusks and freshwater crabs, in the Web of Science database. Subsequently, the number of papers was classified by taxonomic group and hydrographic region to detect research biases. Each report within a paper between a given taxonomic group and a hydrographic region was termed as a case. We also recorded human population density for each hydrographic region. Among the taxonomic groups, zooplankton was the most studied taxon, followed by mollusks and crabs, and it was also dominant across the hydrographic regions. The hydrographic region of Paraná comprised the largest number of cases for the three invertebrate groups. We detected a disproportionately low increase of number of cases in relation to human population density in the hydrographic regions. The identification of the major gaps reported here limits our ability to draw scenarios for the conservation of hydrographic regions and their megadiverse biota in Brazil.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2530064420300377Freshwater crabsGeographic biasHydrographic regionsMollusksPopulation densityTaxonomic bias |
| spellingShingle | Graciele de Barros Maiara Tábatha da Silva Brito Luiza Moura Peluso Érika de Faria Thiago J. Izzo Alberto L. Teixido Biased research generates large gaps on invertebrate biota knowledge in Brazilian freshwater ecosystems Perspectives in Ecology and Conservation Freshwater crabs Geographic bias Hydrographic regions Mollusks Population density Taxonomic bias |
| title | Biased research generates large gaps on invertebrate biota knowledge in Brazilian freshwater ecosystems |
| title_full | Biased research generates large gaps on invertebrate biota knowledge in Brazilian freshwater ecosystems |
| title_fullStr | Biased research generates large gaps on invertebrate biota knowledge in Brazilian freshwater ecosystems |
| title_full_unstemmed | Biased research generates large gaps on invertebrate biota knowledge in Brazilian freshwater ecosystems |
| title_short | Biased research generates large gaps on invertebrate biota knowledge in Brazilian freshwater ecosystems |
| title_sort | biased research generates large gaps on invertebrate biota knowledge in brazilian freshwater ecosystems |
| topic | Freshwater crabs Geographic bias Hydrographic regions Mollusks Population density Taxonomic bias |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2530064420300377 |
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