Plants get less research attention than animals, and conservation needs go unmatched
Mammola S, Fontaneto D, Bellvert A, Chialva M, Adamo M
Biodiversity
The overlooked native wildflowers and shrubs in your yard or local park are exactly the kind of species that draw less research money and attention than a panda or a songbird, even when they're the ones at risk.
Researchers pooled results from 78 studies covering three decades and found that people study and care about big, colorful animals far more than plants and insects. The tilt is usually small, but it shows up almost everywhere. The species that most need protection don't get extra attention, so plants and other quiet organisms can slip through the cracks.
Key Findings
Meta-analysis combined 905 effect sizes from 78 studies spanning three decades of research on taxonomic bias.
Positive bias toward certain groups was widespread across study designs, regions, and taxonomic scopes, with plants and invertebrates receiving disproportionately less attention than vertebrates.
Bias magnitude was generally small (Pearson's r < 0.5), but conservation priority was the only dimension not consistently linked to positive bias, indicating a mismatch between attention and conservation need.
chevron_right Technical Summary
A review of 78 studies found that scientists, funders, and the public consistently pay more attention to vertebrates than to plants and invertebrates. The bias is mild in size, but research attention doesn't line up with which species most need conservation.
Abstract Preview
Original paper
The biodiversity we ignore: A global meta-analysis on taxonomic bias.
As biodiversity decline continues, there is a critical need to document, monitor, and protect species equitably across the tree of life. However, both scientific research and societal perceptions o...
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