An inventory of biodiversity data sources for conservation monitoring.

P J Stephenson,Carrie Stengel,Fraser Andrew Januchowski-Hartley

doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0242923

P J Stephenson, Carrie Stengel + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0242923

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Journal: PloS one	Publication Date: Dec 2, 2020
Citations: 42	License type: CC BY 4.0

Affiliation: University of Lausanne, Global Wildlife Conservation

Abstract

Many conservation managers, policy makers, businesses and local communities cannot access the biodiversity data they need for informed decision-making on natural resource management. A handful of databases are used to monitor indicators against global biodiversity goals but there is no openly available consolidated list of global data sets to help managers, especially those in high-biodiversity countries. We therefore conducted an inventory of global databases of potential use in monitoring biodiversity states, pressures and conservation responses at multiple levels. We uncovered 145 global data sources, as well as a selection of global data reports, links to which we will make available on an open-access website. We describe trends in data availability and actions needed to improve data sharing. If the conservation and science community made a greater effort to publicise data sources, and make the data openly and freely available for the people who most need it, we might be able to mainstream biodiversity data into decision-making and help stop biodiversity loss.

Highlights

Biodiversity continues to decline [1, 2]
Websites of key organisations working on biodiversity data were explored
The latest versions of key biodiversity reports were mined for references to specific data sets, especially the Global Biodiversity Outlook, Global Environment Outlook, and assessments of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES)

Summary

Introduction

Biodiversity continues to decline [1, 2]. There is growing demand for more evidence-based conservation, with data informing decisions and evaluating performance [3, 4]. We undertook an inventory of existing global data sets, databases and data platforms, as well as reports that synthesise such data, in order to determine data sources that could help conservationists and natural resource managers monitor biodiversity, especially the state of species and habitats, the threats and pressures they face, and conservation responses. This represents the first attempt to summarise data sources relevant to biodiversity monitoring

Materials and methods

Findings

Conclusion