Putting publication into practice: A summary of the impact of selected articles published in Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems

Abstract

This article introduces a special issue of Aquatic Conservation: Marine and Freshwater Ecosystems (AQC) whose contributions demonstrate examples of the practical impact of the authors' previous AQC articles on the conservation of aquatic ecosystems. The submitting authors of all articles published in AQC since 2009 were invited to express their interest in writing an article for the special issue. The 20 articles selected for publication discuss 33 AQC articles published from 2004 to 2019, spanning a wide range of geographical locations, habitat types, species groups, and impacts on aquatic conservation. The two impacts reported most frequently are ‘Undertaking practical management of habitats and species’ and ‘Establishing partnerships’, closely followed by ‘Restoring habitats/reintroducing or translocating species’. Many authors demonstrate the importance of their articles in raising awareness across an extensive range of organizations. Some impacts occur soon after publication (e.g. introduction of conservation guidelines), whereas others (e.g. influencing policy) take far longer. Authors report a wide range of methods for disseminating research results appropriate for different audiences, such as technical handbooks, seminars, magazine articles, media broadcasts, and field workshops. To assess whether ‘conventional’ measures of impact match authors' perceptions, three metrics were calculated for the 33 AQC articles discussed in this issue: the number of citations, the number of downloads, and the Altmetric Attention Score. These metrics were not significantly higher for the 33 articles than the corresponding median metrics of the articles in the issues in which the 33 were published. The goal of AQC is to continue to encourage scientists to recognize and promote the application of their research to practical conservation and management. Given the growing threats to aquatic ecosystems, much remains to be done to make this process even more effective.

More exposure opportunities for promoting freshwater conservation

“…The whiskers above the boxes represent articles with percentiles higher than 75% of all coverrelated articles while the whiskers below the boxes indicate articles with lowest 25% percentiles among all cover-related articles. The black lines within the boxes mark the medians of all cover-related articles complicated and varies among regions and ecosystems (Boon & Baxter, 2020). It also depends on the evidence presented in the publications and efforts of scientists to disseminate their findings to a wider audience (Boon & Baxter, 2020).…”

“…The black lines within the boxes mark the medians of all cover-related articles complicated and varies among regions and ecosystems (Boon & Baxter, 2020). It also depends on the evidence presented in the publications and efforts of scientists to disseminate their findings to a wider audience (Boon & Baxter, 2020). For example, articles containing comprehensive and transparent evidence and a clear management direction together with a policy brief are more likely to be understood and accepted by decision makers (Cooke & Suski, 2020).…”

WITHDRAWN: Analyzing the institutional and regulatory framework for operationalizing the blue economy in Bangladesh: Lessons from Australia

“…Australia, a federation, still faces many challenges like jurisdictional overlapping and the con icts in establishing the indigenous peoples' rights (Boon and Baxter, 2020;Bolton et al, 2020;Bray et al, 2019;Yin and Techera, 2019). At the initial stage, it encountered the same problems that Bangladesh faces now.…”

Determinants of large‐scale spatial distribution and seasonal microhabitat selection patterns of the endangered freshwater blenny Salaria fluviatilis in the Ebro River basin, Spain

“…The implementation of the recovery plan has made it possible to maintain the few extant stream-dwelling populations of the freshwater blenny in La Rioja, as well as enabling the recovery of a previously extinct population in one tributary of the River Ebro by means of habitat improvement and restocking. This is a successful example of the application of scientific research to the effective conservation and management of a threatened species (Boon & Baxter, 2020). However, additional conservation management strategies are likely to be needed to ensure population stability and the persistence of this fish, which is still endangered.…”