Co-production and conservation physiology: outcomes, challenges and opportunities arising from reflections on diverse...

Area of Science:

• Conservation Physiology
• Actionable Science
• Collaborative Research

Background:

• Conservation physiology, a developing field, faces challenges in producing relevant and applicable science for decision-makers and practitioners.
• Co-produced research demonstrates higher potential for relevance, acceptance, and actionability compared to traditional research models.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore examples of co-produced research in conservation physiology globally.
• To highlight the benefits and challenges associated with co-production in this field.
• To identify lessons for implementing co-production in conservation science.

Main Methods:

• Review of diverse case studies on co-produced conservation physiology research.
• Analysis of collaborative research spanning various issues, taxa, and geographical regions.
• Exploration of co-production across all research stages: needs identification, design, data collection, interpretation, and application.

Main Results:

• Co-production involves collaborative, inclusive, and respectful engagement throughout the research process.
• Knowledge co-production can occur with diverse partners including managers, Indigenous communities, and industry stakeholders.
• Case studies illustrate the practical application and benefits of co-produced conservation physiology.

Conclusions:

• Co-production is crucial for generating actionable science in applied fields like conservation physiology.
• Embracing co-production can significantly increase the impact and relevance of conservation physiology research.
• Widespread adoption of co-production is recommended for the conservation physiology community to enhance its contribution to conservation efforts.