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Published (Version of record)CC BY V4.0, Open
Journal article
Measuring the Quality of Species List Contents
BioScience, Vol.First online
28/01/2026
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Abstract
Taxonomic lists, usually of species, have many functions. However, there is currently no reliable and convenient way to determine whether a list contains the information that a user requires other than by reading the list in detail. We therefore developed 24 indicators to characterise list contents. The indicators aim to describe the extent to which the scored list covers their intended class of organisms, the quality of their taxonomic scholarship, and additional information they provide for each taxon. We tested the indicators on 16 lists drawn from a wide range of vertebrates, invertebrates, and plants. A list content score was derived from individual indicator scores after they had been weighted to reflect the preferences that taxonomists had expressed in a global survey. The indicators aim to help list creators provide the details taxonomists and list users consider important. We expect indicators to be refined after public debate.
Details
- Title
- Measuring the Quality of Species List Contents
- Creators
- Leslie Christidis - Southern Cross UniversityThomas Pape - University of CopenhagenRichard L Pyle - Bernice Pauahi Bishop MuseumOlaf S Banki - Catalogue of Life (Amsterdam)Saroj K Barik - NEHUAlex J. Berryman - BirdLife internationalPatrice Bouchard - Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaJohn S Buckeridge - RMIT UniversityMaría Marta Cigliano - Universidad Nacional de La PlataStijn Conix - Université Catholique de LouvainHaylee Crawford-Weaver - Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (Canberra, ACT)Peter Paul van Dijk - Re: wild (USA, Texas)Markus Döring - Universitetsparken (Denmark)Neal Evenhuis - Bernice Pauahi Bishop MuseumCraig Hilton-Taylor - International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List Unit (UK)Donald Hobern - Catalogue of Life (Amsterdam)Claire Johnston - Charles Darwin UniversityRonell R Klopper - South African National Biodiversity InstituteAndreas Kroh - Natural History Museum ViennaAaron Lien - Charles Darwin UniversityMarianne Le Roux - South African National Biodiversity InstituteLauren Raz - Universidad Nacional de ColombiaScott A Thomson - Charles Darwin UniversityLeen Vandepitte - Flanders Marine InstituteFrank E Zachos - Charles Darwin UniversityStephen T Garnett - Charles Darwin University
- Publication Details
- BioScience, Vol.First online
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Grant note
- Support for the research has been provided by Australian Research Council Grant DP230102933.
- Identifiers
- 991013347139802368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s) 2026
- Academic Unit
- Research Infrastructure and Operations
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article