Effective Biodiversity Monitoring Needs a Culture of Integration

Creator

Hjalmar S. Kühl, Universität Leipzig
Diana E. Bowler, Universität Leipzig
Lukas Bösch, Universität Leipzig
Helge Bruelheide, Universität Leipzig
Jens Dauber, Thünen Institute of Biodiversity
David Eichenberg, Universität Leipzig
Nico Eisenhauer, Universität Leipzig
Néstor Fernández, Universität Leipzig
Carlos A. Guerra, Universität Leipzig

Issue Date

10-2020

Abstract

Despite conservation commitments, most countries still lack large-scale biodiversity monitoring programs to track progress toward agreed targets. Monitoring program design is frequently approached from a top-down, data-centric perspective that ignores the socio-cultural context of data collection. A rich landscape of people and organizations, with a diversity of motivations and expertise, independently engages in biodiversity monitoring. This diversity often leads to complementarity in activities across places, time periods, and taxa. In this Perspective, we propose a framework for aligning different efforts to realize large-scale biodiversity monitoring through a networked design of stakeholders, data, and biodiversity schemes. We emphasize the value of integrating independent biodiversity observations in conjunction with a backbone of structured core monitoring, thereby fostering broad ownership and resilience due to a strong partnership of science, society, policy, and individuals. Furthermore, we identify stakeholder-specific barriers and incentives to foster joint collaboration toward effective large-scale biodiversity monitoring. Many people and organizations independently engage in biodiversity monitoring. It is important that independent biodiversity observations are integrated, in conjunction with structured core monitoring. In this Perspective, we propose a framework for aligning different efforts to realize large-scale, integrated biodiversity monitoring through a networked design of stakeholders, data, and biodiversity schemes. Recognizing and valuing distributed monitoring expertise is important and efforts for integrating these provide benefits for society, policy, science, and individuals.

Source or Periodical Title

One Earth

ISSN

2590-3330

Volume

3

Issue

4

Page

462-474

Document Type

Article

Physical Description

diagrams; tables

Language

English

Subject

biodiversity monitoring, citizen science, distributed expertise, integration, policy, society, stakeholder engagement, stakeholder network

Recommended Citation

Kühl, H.S., Bowler, D., Bösch, L., Bruelheide, H., Dauber, J., Eichenberg, D., Eisenhauer, N., Fernández, N., Guerra, C.A., Henle, K., Herbinger, I., Isaac, N.J.B., Jansen, F., König-Ries, B., Kühn, I., Nilsen, E.B., Pe'er, G., Richter, A., Schulte, R., Settele, J., van Dam, N.M., Voigt, M., Wagele, J.W., Wirth, C., Bonn, A. (2020). Effective Biodiversity Monitoring Needs a Culture of Integration. One Earth, 3 (4), 462-474. 10.1016/j.oneear.2020.09.010.

Identifier

DOI:10.1016/j.oneear.2020.09.010

Digital Copy

yes

En – AGROVOC descriptors

BIODIVERSITY MONITORING; CITIZEN SCIENCE; DISTRIBUTED EXPERTISE; INTEGRATION; POLICY; SOCIETY; STAKEHOLDER ENGAGEMENT; STAKEHOLDER NETWORK