Overcoming the Data Crisis in Biodiversity Conservation - S0169-5347(18)30141-1

Ho w c a n we tra c k p o p u la tio n tre n d s wh e n mo n ito rin g d a ta a re s p a rs e ? Po p u la tio n d e c lin e s c a n g o u n d e te c te d , d e s p ite o n g o in g th re a ts . F o r e x a mp le , o n ly o n e o f e v e ry 2 0 0 h a rv e s te d s p e c ie s a re mo n ito re d . T h is g a p le a d s to u n c e rta in ty a b o u t th e s e rio u s n e s s o f d e c lin e s a n d h a mp e rs e ffe c tiv e c o n s e rv a tio n . Co lle c tin g mo re d a ta is imp o rta n t, b u t we c a n a ls o ma k e b e tte r u s e o f e x is tin g in fo rma tio n . Prio r k n o wle d g e o f p h y s io lo g y , life h is to ry , a n d c o mmu n ity e c o lo g y c a n b e u s e d to in fo rm p o p u la tio n mo d e ls . Ad d itio n a lly , in mu ltis p e c ie s mo d e ls , in fo rma tio n c a n b e s h a re d a mo n g ta x a b a s e d o n p h y lo g e n e tic , s p a tia l, o r te mp o ra l p ro x imity . By e x p lo itin g g e n e ra litie s a c ro s s s p e c ie s th a t s h a re e v o lu tio n a ry o r e c o lo g ic a l c h a ra c te ris tic s with in Ba y e s ia n h ie ra rc h ic a l mo d e ls , we c a n fill c ru c ia l g a p s in th e a s s e s s me n t o f s p e c ie s ’ s ta tu s with u n p a ra lle le d q u a n tita tiv e rig o r.