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Mori AS, Suzuki KF, Hori M, Kadoya T, Okano K, Uraguchi A, Muraoka H, Sato T, Shibata H, Suzuki-Ohno Y, Koba K, Toda M, Nakano SI, Kondoh M, Kitajima K, Nakamura M. Perspective: sustainability challenges, opportunities and solutions for long-term ecosystem observations. Philos Trans R Soc Lond B Biol Sci 2023; 378:20220192. [PMID: 37246388 DOI: 10.1098/rstb.2022.0192] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2023] [Indexed: 05/30/2023] Open
Abstract
As interest in natural capital grows and society increasingly recognizes the value of biodiversity, we must discuss how ecosystem observations to detect changes in biodiversity can be sustained through collaboration across regions and sectors. However, there are many barriers to establishing and sustaining large-scale, fine-resolution ecosystem observations. First, comprehensive monitoring data on both biodiversity and possible anthropogenic factors are lacking. Second, some in situ ecosystem observations cannot be systematically established and maintained across locations. Third, equitable solutions across sectors and countries are needed to build a global network. Here, by examining individual cases and emerging frameworks, mainly from (but not limited to) Japan, we illustrate how ecological science relies on long-term data and how neglecting basic monitoring of our home planet further reduces our chances of overcoming the environmental crisis. We also discuss emerging techniques and opportunities, such as environmental DNA and citizen science as well as using the existing and forgotten sites of monitoring, that can help overcome some of the difficulties in establishing and sustaining ecosystem observations at a large scale with fine resolution. Overall, this paper presents a call to action for joint monitoring of biodiversity and anthropogenic factors, the systematic establishment and maintenance of in situ observations, and equitable solutions across sectors and countries to build a global network, beyond cultures, languages, and economic status. We hope that our proposed framework and the examples from Japan can serve as a starting point for further discussions and collaborations among stakeholders across multiple sectors of society. It is time to take the next step in detecting changes in socio-ecological systems, and if monitoring and observation can be made more equitable and feasible, they will play an even more important role in ensuring global sustainability for future generations. This article is part of the theme issue 'Detecting and attributing the causes of biodiversity change: needs, gaps and solutions'.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira S Mori
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 4-6-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
- Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan
| | - Kureha F Suzuki
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 4-6-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
- Graduate School of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, 79-7 Tokiwadai, Hodogaya, Yokohama, Kanagawa 240-8501, Japan
| | - Masakazu Hori
- Japan Fisheries Research and Education Agency, 6F Technowave100, 1-1-25 Shin-urashima, Kanagawa-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 221-8529, Japan
| | - Taku Kadoya
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2, Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
| | - Kotaro Okano
- Research Center for Advanced Science and Technology, The University of Tokyo, Komaba 4-6-1, Meguro, Tokyo 153-8904, Japan
| | - Aya Uraguchi
- Conservation International Japan, 1-17 Yotsuya, Shinjuku, Tokyo 160-0014, Japan
| | - Hiroyuki Muraoka
- National Institute for Environmental Studies, 16-2, Onogawa, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8506, Japan
- River Basin Research Center, Gifu University, 1-1 Yanagido, Gifu City 501-1193, Japan
| | - Tamotsu Sato
- International Strategy Division, Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute (FFPRI), 1 Matsunosato, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8687, Japan
| | - Hideaki Shibata
- Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, N9 W9, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-0809, Japan
| | - Yukari Suzuki-Ohno
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Keisuke Koba
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Hirano 2-509-3, Otsu, Shiga 520-2113, Japan
| | - Mariko Toda
- Kokusai Kogyo Co., Ltd. Shinjuku Front Tower, 21-1, Kita-Shinjuku 2-chome, Shinjukuku, Tokyo 169-0074, Japan
| | - Shin-Ichi Nakano
- Center for Ecological Research, Kyoto University, Hirano 2-509-3, Otsu, Shiga 520-2113, Japan
| | - Michio Kondoh
- Graduate School of Life Sciences, Tohoku University, 6-3 Aoba, Aramaki-aza, Aoba-ku, Sendai, Miyagi 980-8578, Japan
| | - Kaoru Kitajima
- Graduate School of Agriculture, Kyoto University, Kitashirakawa Oiwake-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto 606-8502, Japan
| | - Masahiro Nakamura
- Tomakomai Experimental Forest, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Hokkaido University, Takaoka, Tomakomai, Hokkaido 053-0035, Japan
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Mori AS. Diversity, equity, and inclusion in academia to guide society. Trends Ecol Evol 2021; 37:1-4. [PMID: 34782147 DOI: 10.1016/j.tree.2021.10.010] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2021] [Revised: 10/15/2021] [Accepted: 10/19/2021] [Indexed: 10/19/2022]
Abstract
Many barriers exist in academia. Shedding light on scholars from marginalized groups is important for scientific publishing and policy-science dialogs to ensure equity, beyond merely aiming to increase the numbers to achieve equality. Achieving diversity, inclusiveness, and equality in academia is not the goal, but an essential means of realizing a sustainable future.
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Affiliation(s)
- Akira S Mori
- Faculty of Environment and Information Sciences, Yokohama National University, Yokohama, Kanagawa, 240-8501, Japan.
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McAlvay AC, Armstrong CG, Baker J, Elk LB, Bosco S, Hanazaki N, Joseph L, Martínez-Cruz TE, Nesbitt M, Palmer MA, Priprá de Almeida WC, Anderson J, Asfaw Z, Borokini IT, Cano-Contreras EJ, Hoyte S, Hudson M, Ladio AH, Odonne G, Peter S, Rashford J, Wall J, Wolverton S, Vandebroek I. Ethnobiology Phase VI: Decolonizing Institutions, Projects, and Scholarship. J ETHNOBIOL 2021. [DOI: 10.2993/0278-0771-41.2.170] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/03/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Alex C. McAlvay
- Institute of Economic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458
| | | | - Janelle Baker
- Anthropology, Athabasca University, Athabasca, Alberta, Canada
| | | | - Samantha Bosco
- 5 Horticulture Section, School of Integrated Plant Sciences, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | - Natalia Hanazaki
- Departamento de Ecologia e Zoologia, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, Florianópolis, Brazil
| | - Leigh Joseph
- 7 School of Environmental Studies, University of Victoria, BC, Canada
| | | | - Mark Nesbitt
- Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, Richmond, Surrey, UK
| | - Meredith Alberta Palmer
- Science and Technology Studies Department, American Indian and Indigenous Studies Program, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York
| | | | - Jane Anderson
- Equity for Indigenous Research and Innovation Coordinating Hub, Anthropology and Museum Studies, New York University, New York, New York
| | - Zemede Asfaw
- Department of Plant Biology and Biodiversity Management, Addis Ababa University, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
| | - Israel T. Borokini
- Ecology, Evolution and Conservation Biology Graduate Program, Department of Biology, University of Nevada, Reno, Nevada
| | - Eréndira Juanita Cano-Contreras
- Centro de Investigaciones Multidisciplinarias sobre Chiapas y la Frontera Sur, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Chiapas, México
| | - Simon Hoyte
- Department of Anthropology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Maui Hudson
- Te Kotahi Research Institute, University of Waikato, Hamilton, New Zealand
| | - Ana H. Ladio
- INIBIOMA (CONICET-Universidad Nacional del Comahue), San Carlos de Bariloche, Río Negro, Argentina
| | | | - Sonia Peter
- 20 Biocultural Education and Research Programme, St. James, Barbados
| | - John Rashford
- Department of Sociology and Anthropology, College of Charleston, Charleston, South Carolina
| | - Jeffrey Wall
- Department of Geography, Environment and Geomatics, University of Guelph, Ontario, Canada
| | - Steve Wolverton
- Department of Geography and the Environment, University of North Texas, Denton, Texas
| | - Ina Vandebroek
- Institute of Economic Botany, The New York Botanical Garden, 2900 Southern Blvd, Bronx, NY 10458
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Espin J, Palmas S, Carrasco-Rueda F, Riemer K, Allen PE, Berkebile N, Hecht KA, Kastner-Wilcox K, Núñez-Regueiro MM, Prince C, Rios C, Ross E, Sangha B, Tyler T, Ungvari-Martin J, Villegas M, Cataldo TT, Bruna EM. A persistent lack of international representation on editorial boards in environmental biology. PLoS Biol 2017; 15:e2002760. [PMID: 29232375 PMCID: PMC5726619 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pbio.2002760] [Citation(s) in RCA: 40] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/02/2022] Open
Abstract
The scholars comprising journal editorial boards play a critical role in defining the trajectory of knowledge in their field. Nevertheless, studies of editorial board composition remain rare, especially those focusing on journals publishing research in the increasingly globalized fields of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM). Using metrics for quantifying the diversity of ecological communities, we quantified international representation on the 1985–2014 editorial boards of 24 environmental biology journals. Over the course of 3 decades, there were 3,827 unique scientists based in 70 countries who served as editors. The size of the editorial community increased over time—the number of editors serving in 2014 was 4-fold greater than in 1985—as did the number of countries in which editors were based. Nevertheless, editors based outside the “Global North” (the group of economically developed countries with high per capita gross domestic product [GDP] that collectively concentrate most global wealth) were extremely rare. Furthermore, 67.18% of all editors were based in either the United States or the United Kingdom. Consequently, geographic diversity—already low in 1985—remained unchanged through 2014. We argue that this limited geographic diversity can detrimentally affect the creativity of scholarship published in journals, the progress and direction of research, the composition of the STEM workforce, and the development of science in Latin America, Africa, the Middle East, and much of Asia (i.e., the “Global South”).
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Espin
- Department of Sociology and Criminology & Law, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Tropical Conservation and Development Program, Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Sebastian Palmas
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Farah Carrasco-Rueda
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Kristina Riemer
- Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Pablo E. Allen
- Entomology and Nematology Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Nathan Berkebile
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Kirsten A. Hecht
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Kay Kastner-Wilcox
- Soil and Water Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Mauricio M. Núñez-Regueiro
- Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Candice Prince
- Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Constanza Rios
- School of Natural Resources and Environment, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Erica Ross
- School of Forest Resources and Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Bhagatveer Sangha
- Horticultural Sciences Department, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Tia Tyler
- Department of Environmental Horticulture, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Judit Ungvari-Martin
- Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Biology, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Mariana Villegas
- Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Tara T. Cataldo
- Martson Science Library, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
| | - Emilio M. Bruna
- Tropical Conservation and Development Program, Center for Latin American Studies, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- Department of Wildlife Ecology & Conservation, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida, United States of America
- * E-mail:
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