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Quantifying research waste in ecology
Marija Purgar1,2, Tin Klanjscek1, Antica Culina3,4
1Rudjer Boskovic Institute, Zagreb, Croatia.
Nature Ecology & Evolution
|July 21, 2022
Summary
Ecological research is significantly wasted, with only 11-18% reaching full informative value. Addressing this waste is crucial for environmental science and sustainable development goals.
Area of Science:
- Ecology
- Environmental Science
- Research Waste Analysis
Background:
- Research inefficiencies lead to substantial waste, particularly noted in biomedical research.
- While other fields may benefit, estimates of research waste are lacking outside of biomedicine.
- Ecological issues are central to the UN Sustainable Development Goals, highlighting the need to address waste in this field.
Purpose of the Study:
- To estimate components of research waste in ecological research.
- To quantify the extent of inefficiency in ecological studies.
- To advocate for prioritizing the reduction of waste in ecological research.
Main Methods:
- Conducted a comprehensive literature review.
- Performed a meta-analysis of existing ecological research.
- Estimated key components contributing to research waste.
Main Results:
- A significant portion of ecological research is identified as wasted.
- Only 11-18% of conducted ecological research achieves its full informative potential.
- This indicates a considerable and preventable loss of research value.
Conclusions:
- Urgent action is required from all research system actors (institutions, policymakers, funders, publishers) to reduce waste.
- Further research into ecological research waste is necessary.
- Developing and implementing solutions to maximize the potential of ecological research is essential.
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