Progress and Gaps in Biodiversity Data Mainstreaming and Knowledge Transfer for Conservation in South America

Abstract

We present an analysis of the biodiversity knowledge–implementation continuum in one of the most biologically and culturally diverse regions on the planet, South America. This chapter focuses on interactions between data producers and users, synergies and gaps in information flow between data production and decision-making processes, drawing on a survey of stakeholders from the Andean-Amazon countries.We then evaluate the progress made, and challenges faced, by the countries of the region in relation to the production and mobilization of biodiversity knowledge to support conservation action, as informed by the National Biodiversity Strategies and Action Plans (NBSAPs). To further support these points, we present two case studies that illustrate (1) how building a global network of biodiversity observations has been translated into a national monitoring effort in Bolivia, and (2) the potential of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species™ (RLTS) and the IUCN Red List of Ecosystems (RLE) to contribute in a concerted manner to conservation efforts in data-deficient regions.We conclude by highlighting how little is known about the cost and effectiveness of efforts aimed at narrowing the gap between biodiversity information production and demand in this region, and how critical it is for local initiatives to be fully integrated into regional and global efforts for biodiversity mainstreaming in South America to become successful.