Gaps in tropical science from unrepresentative distribution of sampling and citation across natural terrestrial environments
Abstract
Abstract Effective environmental policies for the tropics depend on accurate, representative scientific data. However, there is strong evidence from particular disciplines and regions that existing research is patchily distributed. Here, we show that poor representation of sampling and citation in some biomes and across key environmental gradients from all disciplines for the entire tropics may lead to flawed scientific paradigms and inappropriate policy prescriptions. We map sampling locations and citations from 2 738 published studies in natural terrestrial tropical environments across all disciplines to identify gaps in field sampling effort and research attention. Five ecoregions – all in moist broadleaf forests – generate 22% of the total citations but cover only 3% of the tropical land area. By contrast, drier biomes with low tree cover account collectively for 57% of the tropical area but generate only 20% of total citations. Locations that are drier, colder, with greater plant species richness, lower tree cover and facing greater climate change extremes are under-sampled and under-cited. Our results will help to correct these imbalances to improve the scientific basis for environmental policies across the tropics.
Article Details
Authors (34)
Daniel B. Metcalfe
Emily Anders
Hanna Axén
E. Petter Axelsson
April E. Bermudez
David C. Bartholomew
Nathalie Butt
The Nature Conservancy
Hinsby Cadillo-Quiroz
Nitin Chaudhary
Timon Callebaut
Cecilia A. L. Dahlsjö
Mirindi Eric Dusenge
Kenneth J. Feeley
Department of Biology, University of Miami
Thomas Cherico Wanger
Bernice C. Hwang
Thirze D. G. Hermans
Micael Jonsson
Paul Kardol
Arvid Lindh
Daniel Lussetti
Shubhangi Lamba
Gavyn Mewett
Myriam Mujawamariya
Olivier Jean Leonce Manzi
Norma Salinas
Janet S. Prevéy
Aida Bargués-Tobella
Jing Tang
Olivia K. Vought
Maria Witteman
Göran Wallin
Wenxin Zhang
Institute of Biomedical Research, Yunnan University
Yan Yan
Anna-Maria Virkkala