Using expert-elicitation to deliver biodiversity monitoring priorities on a Mediterranean island

PLoS One. 2022 Mar 24;17(3):e0256777. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0256777. eCollection 2022.

Abstract

Biodiversity monitoring plays an essential role in tracking changes in ecosystems, species distributions and abundances across the globe. Data collected through both structured and unstructured biodiversity recording can inform conservation measures designed to reduce, prevent, and reverse declines in valued biodiversity of many types. However, given that resources for biodiversity monitoring are limited, it is important that funding bodies prioritise investments relative to the requirements in any given region. We addressed this prioritisation requirement for a biodiverse Mediterranean island (Cyprus) using a three-stage process of expert-elicitation. This resulted in a structured list of twenty biodiversity monitoring needs; specifically, a hierarchy of three groups of these needs was created using a consensus approach. The most highly prioritised biodiversity monitoring needs were those related to the development of robust survey methodologies, and those ensuring that sufficiently skilled citizens are available to contribute. We discuss ways that the results of our expert-elicitation process could be used to support current and future biodiversity monitoring in Cyprus.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Biodiversity
  • Conservation of Natural Resources* / methods
  • Ecosystem*
  • Investments
  • Mediterranean Islands

Grants and funding

The authors are grateful to the UK Defra Darwin Initiative Plus for funding this study (reference DarwinPlus056 Assessment of current and future Invasive Alien Species in Cyprus and DPLUS088 Addressing drivers of ecological change in Lake Akrotiri SBA, Cyprus). This work was supported by the Natural Environment Research Council award number NE/R016429/1 as part of the UK-SCAPE programme delivering National Capability. The funders had no role in study design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.