Communication gaps in knowledge of freshwater fish biodiversity: implications for the management and conservation of Mexican biosphere reserves

Abstract

To detect differences in the information available on freshwater fish species found in Mexican biosphere reserves, the number of species considered in three sources of information: management programmes, Global Biodiversity Information Facility (GBIF) and the scientific literature were compared. Additionally, management actions for the reserves were evaluated. More than 55% of freshwater fish species registered for the reserves were found only in one of the three sources of information, while just 12% was shared among all the three. Fifteen threatened species were registered in GBIF and the scientific literature that were not found in management programmes. Although all the management programmes described conservation actions, none of them gave details about how they would be implemented. Lack of communication among the sources studied, unawareness of the existence of threatened species and the absence of detailed management actions hinder the development of adequate conservation strategies.

The biodiversity data knowledge gap: Assessing information loss in the management of Biosphere Reserves

“…Scientists and managers may find in the GBIF-mediated databases a cost-effective way to enhance the biodiversity information they work with in order to efficiently manage the reserves (Pino-del-Carpio et al, 2011). Certainly the development of databases has been one of the greatest achievements to make available information about diversity to researchers, decision makers and public in general.…”

“…In cases where the bounding boxes did not enclose the shape files, the boundaries were extended by a small buffer zone to ensure full coverage of each Reserve's area, following Pino-del-Carpio et al (2011). Records with coordinates falling either outside the buffer zones or outside the boundaries of the reserves were discarded.…”

“…A previous research carried out in freshwater fish species within Mexican Biosphere Reserves, demonstrated that there is indeed a communication gap among these sources of information (Pino-del-Carpio et al, 2011).…”

Hidalgo Fishes: Dataset on freshwater fishes of Hidalgo state (Mexico) in the MZNA fish collection of the University of Navarra (Spain)

“…Among these species, there are five exotic species. Future Biosphere Reserve’s management plans should consider the presence of these alien species, with the aim to preserve conveniently the biodiversity (Pino-del-Carpio et al 2011). …”

“…Knowledge of species occurrences is the first step to manage and conserve the biodiversity and scarce information related to the distribution, abundance and management actions of threatened species hinder the development of adequate conservation strategies (Pino-del-Carpio et al 2011). This is particularly relevant to conservation of species with restricted distribution ranges and seriously threatened, as the Chapultepec splitfin.…”