Ocean Evidence Gap Map (Duke Bass Connections)

Building on the work of previous teams, this Duke Bass Connections project team is refining our evidence maps and related products in partnership with the World Wildlife Fund and the Center for Biodiversity and Conservation at the American Museum of Natural History. Team members conduct evidence mapping and reviews, evaluate what natural and social science research reveals about the nature of linkages between conservation interventions (such as catch limits and restoration) and both natural and social outcomes (fish abundance, ecosystem health and resilience; income and well-being). The team is also assessing the strength of the evidence supporting these linkages, and focusing on particular intervention types where significant knowledge gaps exists or are particularly relevant to policy. These include fisheries and food security outcomes from conservation.

Evidence gap maps and syntheses are emerging tools within the conservation field. They are useful tools to creatively review existing scientific research in order to help guide evidence-based decision-making and identify areas where more targeted research is needed. Gap maps describe the distribution of studies that suggest linkages between particular interventions and outcomes, highlighting areas where more targeted research is needed. Gap maps also help identify studies that suggest linkages between particular interventions and outcomes (e.g., ecological, social) and can help identify and characterize contexts for understanding tradeoffs and synergies in conservation decision-making. In the rapidly developing field of ocean science and conservation, evidence gap maps can provide informed and data-based direction for scientific, philanthropic, government and nongovernment organizations as they decide how to invest limited resources.

In collaboration with the World Wildlife Fund and the American Museum of Natural History, our Duke University Bass Connections project is developing an ocean evidence gap map with a subset of evidence gap maps on coral reefs, mangroves and seagrasses. The project’s interdisciplinary approach used natural and social science research to examine potential linkages between intervention (e.g., take limits, restoration) and both natural (e.g., fish abundance, ecosystem health and resilience) and social outcomes (e.g., income, well-being, degree of cooperative interactions).

 

 

Find further information about our Bass Connections team from 2020-21 and 2021-22.

Read more about the 2022 – 2023 project.