Abstract
While greater research on threatened species alone cannot ensure their protection, understanding taxonomic bias may be helpful to address knowledge gaps in order to identify research directions and inform policy. Using data for over 10 000 animal species listed on the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List, we investigated taxonomic and geographic biodiversity conservation research trends worldwide. We found extreme bias in conservation research effort on threatened vertebrates compared with lesser-studied invertebrates in both terrestrial and aquatic habitats at a global scale. Based on an analysis of common threats affecting vertebrates and invertebrates, we suggest a path forward for narrowing the research gap between threatened vertebrates and invertebrates.
Highlights
International biodiversity conservation strategies, such as the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as well as an increasing number of national and regional biodiversity policies, aim to reduce biodiversity loss and protect at-risk species and habitats
We created a database of all animal species listed as critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List (IUCN Red List of Threatened Species 2012)
To account for variation in the number of species assessed by the IUCN Red List in each location, we calculated the ratio of biodiversity conservation papers to species listed as critically endangered, endangered, or vulnerable on the IUCN Red List in each location (Fig. 3b)
Summary
International biodiversity conservation strategies, such as the United Nations Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), as well as an increasing number of national and regional biodiversity policies, aim to reduce biodiversity loss and protect at-risk species and habitats. While greater research on threatened species cannot ensure their protection, understanding taxonomic bias may be helpful in order to address knowledge gaps and inform policy. Using data for over 10 000 threatened animal species, we investigated taxonomic and geographic biodiversity conservation research trends worldwide.
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