Climate change not only poses challenges for humans and animals but also significantly impacts plant life. As researchers strive to create climate models predicting how plants will respond to a changing environment, a new study reveals crucial gaps in plant demographic research, emphasizing the need for a more inclusive and comprehensive approach.
Led by Owen Jones, an associate professor at the Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, the study sheds light on the overrepresentation of plants from temperate regions in Europe and North America in existing databases. Approximately 75% of scientific data on the world’s plants is focused on these regions, leaving tropical plants relatively under-studied.
The study, published in the journal Oikos, highlights the potential consequences of skewed data for policymakers and researchers trying to understand how plant species will respond to climate change. Jones underscores the importance of having a complete guidebook, stating, “If your data are skewed, you’re essentially working with an incomplete guidebook.”
Examples of well-studied plants, such as the Common Cowslip (Primula veris) in temperate regions of Europe and Asia and the Pitcher´s Thistle (Cirsium pitcheri) native to North America, reveal the imbalance in current research.
The analysis, based on data from the COMPADRE Plant Matrix Database containing information on nearly 800 plant species, exposes disparities in the representation of wealthy countries in plant studies. The tendency for researchers to study plants accessible in their own countries exacerbates this issue.
Gesa Römer, a co-author of the study and recent Ph.D. graduate of SDU, notes that research biases are driven by practical considerations, such as the ease of studying accessible plants. Additionally, factors like limited project durations and language barriers contribute to the skewed data, with many results published in languages other than English.
The study emphasizes that these gaps in data have critical implications, urging the scientific community to address understudied regions and plant types. The researchers stress the importance of understanding plant demography to guide conservation efforts in the face of rapidly changing environments.
Co-author Johan Dahlgren from the Department of Biology, University of Southern Denmark, highlights the call for action, stating, “Our findings should serve as a call for the scientific community to target these understudied regions and types of plants.” As climate change accelerates, a more inclusive and thorough understanding of plant responses becomes increasingly essential for effective conservation strategies.