Bridging the divide between scientists and decision-makers: how behavioural ecologists can increase the conservation impact of their research?

Abstract

Effective conservation management is underpinned by science. Yet, there are often barriers against the incorporation of up-to-date scientific research into decision-making and policy. Here, we draw on experience from a multi-nation approach to conserve cheetah and African wild dogs across Africa, using relationships between scientists and managers established over more than a decade, to better understand scientific information needs of managers. While our analysis focuses on Africa, many of our findings are likely to be relevant to other regions. Managers view science as critical to their decision-making processes and strongly support scientific research, particularly when research directly addresses their information needs. However, managers reported problems in accessing final results and highlighted the need to access raw ecological data from research undertaken within protected areas. Fundamental to improving the management relevance of scientific research is the need for scientists to engage with managers through all steps of the research process, from project design and implementation through to scientific publication and end-of-project agreements. Effective engagement requires open and clear communication; including agreed processes for access to biodiversity data and submission of final results. In order to foster future scientific endeavours and collaborations, systems should be established to better facilitate information exchange, while also safeguarding the rights of scientists to publish their data and protect their academic freedom. Our analysis also calls for a greater awareness of the geo-political context under which science is undertaken, and for increased scientific participation through an inclusive approach that recognizes, and gives credit to, a wider diversity of scientific contributions and expertise. This article is part of the theme issue ‘Linking behaviour to dynamics of populations and communities: application of novel approaches in behavioural ecology to conservation’.

Management Actions Promote Human-Wildlife Coexistence in Highly Anthropized Landscapes: The Case of an Endangered Avian Scavenger

“…Such studies usually require a long-term effort to evaluate their effectiveness, particularly in long-lived territorial species like vultures, whose intrinsic life-history traits (e.g., delayed maturity, long-migration, and low productivity) makes them especially vulnerable (Sergio et al, 2011;Sanz-Aguilar et al, 2017;Badia-Boher et al, 2019). Notwithstanding, these studies should account for and enhance stakeholder and manager participation to promote long-term success of management actions (Durant et al, 2019). This is particularly relevant in anthropized landscapes where conservation conflicts emerge from competing interests (Redpath et al, 2013).…”

“…Recognizing the important role of each and every actor is crucial toward constructing transparent and trustful relationship among interested parties (Redpath et al, 2013). For example, a key way for conservation managers to access relevant and updated scientific knowledge is through direct contact with ecologists, who conduct field research within the sites they manage (Durant et al, 2019). Similarly, ecologists should realize that decision-makers have to deal with multiple competing and often conflicting interests (e.g., species conservation in areas of highvalue resource extraction), and sometimes decisions on species conservation are dictated by higher political interests rather than a lack of knowledge about the system in question (Cook et al, 2013;Redpath et al, 2015).…”

Behavioural valuation of landscapes using movement data

“…Specifically, without the key link between movement patterns and their underlying drivers, the field risks limiting its impact on ecological and evolutionary understanding and its translation to applied objectives (e.g. [84]).…”

“…Specifically, without the key link between movement patterns and their underlying drivers, the field risks limiting its impact on ecological and evolutionary understanding and its translation to applied objectives (e.g. [84]). Behavioural valuation of landscapes can greatly enhance our ability to understand mechanisms driving movement patterns, providing insights into classic and emerging topics including cognitive decision-making, memory and the investigation of behavioural tactics manifested in movement.…”

Linking behaviour to dynamics of populations and communities: application of novel approaches in behavioural ecology to conservation

“…From a pragmatic viewpoint, Caro & Berger next point out how behavioural ecologists can add conservation value to their research by choosing their study systems strategically and engaging opportunistically with conservation issues [54]. Closing the theme issue, Durant et al draw on long-term field experience from Africa to provide clear recommendations for best practice that will maximize the conservation impact of behavioural ecological field research [55].…”