Confronting and Coping with Uncertainty in Biodiversity Research and Praxis

By

Haila, Yrjö
Henle, Klaus
Apostolopoulou, Evangelia
Cent, Joanna
Framstad, Erik
Goerg, Christoph
Jax, Kurt
Klenke, Reinhard
Magnuson, William
Matsinos, Yiannis
Mueller, Birgit
Paloniemi, Riikka
Pantis, John
Rauschmayer, Felix
Ring, Irene
Settele, Josef
Simila, Jukka
Touloumis, Konstantinos
Tzanopoulos, Joseph
Pe'er, Guy

Type

Article

Date of Publication

2014

Original Publication

Nature conservation

Volume

8

Pages

45-75

Subjects

biodiversity management , biodiversity policy , biodiversity science , dimensions of uncertainty , governance of biodiversity , research practice , scientific agency , social deliberation , social learning , Uncertainty

Contributed by

Pensoft Publishers

Language

English

Published by

Sofia, Bulgaria Pensoft Publishers 2012-

Identifiers

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3897/natureconservation.8.5942

 

Abstract

This paper summarises discussions in a workshop entitled “exploring uncertainties in biodiversity science, policy and management”. It draws together experiences gained by scientists and scholars when encountering and coping with different types of uncertainty in their work in the field of biodiversity protection. The discussion covers all main phases of scientific work: field work and data analysis; methodologies; setting goals for research projects, taking simultaneously into account the agency of scientists conducting the work; developing communication with policy-makers and society at large; and giving arguments for the societal relevance of the issues. The paper concludes with a plea for collaborative learning that would build upon close cooperation among specialists who have developed expertise in different fields in research, management and politics.