Thread by @bexturner

Do you work with biodiversity data? Ever wonder where your data sits in the big picture or how it makes meaningful impacts for research and policy? Our review of the UK herpetofauna data landscape reveals key insights for wider biodiversity monitoring.🧵 link.springer.com/article/10.100…

Working with colleagues at @UK_CEH, @DICE_Kent, @ARGroupsUK, @ARC_Bytes, @_BTO, we searched and assessed the scope of UK amphibian and reptile data compatible with the #FAIRdata guiding principles. We found 45 sources: over 3x more data sources than there are UK-native species..

An array of recording projects, digital databases and recording communities generate data for all UK-native species of amphibians and reptiles. But some species are monitored more comprehensively than others...

Geographic coverage of datasets is divided… And while many schemes have potential for national coverage, they were more often restricted to a selection of targeted sites...

A rapid increase the number of schemes and the emergence of new technologies such as eDNA methods in recent years may account for some of the complexity underpinning this biodiversity data landscape…

A dynamic, patchy and incomplete exchange of data occurs between different sources. Together, sources may achieve coverage all species and regions but without integrating efforts, the ongoing complexity and fragmentation of the evidence base is only likely to increase...

The array of sources is testament to a growing conservation community & should be celebrated. But diversity presents challenges for synthesis. We need to integrate data and expertise in a unifying network that streamlines fragmented monitoring. Full paper: link.springer.com/article/10.100…

With special thanks to my awesome supervisory team (@drnickisaac, @miketoms, Richard Griffiths, Angie Julian, John Wilkinson), project partners (tagged above) and funders @ARIES_DTP for their support and expertise throughout this project...

And an *enormous* thank you to the NGOs, charities and individuals that shared information for this project, including those at: @Natures_Voice @froglifers @WoodlandTrust @___BRC___ & others listed in the paper.