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Journal article
Measuring the quality of species list governance
BioScience, Vol.First online
28/01/2026
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Abstract
Taxonomic lists are important tools for efficient communication about biodiversity. The processes by which they are created and maintained need to be robust, scientifically sound, and transparent. Articulating and scoring a set of governance quality indicators provides a way to assess the relative strengths of list management, gives list users a means to assess the quality of this process, augments the information available to list aggregators, and allows patterns to be measured over time and among forms of life. Based on published principles, we created 12 governance quality indicators which we tested on 16 lists spanning a range of taxonomic groups. Independence of taxonomy from nomenclature scored most strongly, but scores for local and regional involvement were lower. The governance quality indicators may eventually provide a rubric for assessing best practice species list governance but now need a period of further testing, review, and refinement before they are institutionalized.
Details
- Title
- Measuring the quality of species list governance
- Creators
- Stephen T Garnett - Charles Darwin UniversityOlaf Banki - Catalogue of Life (Amsterdam)Saroj Kanta Barik - North Eastern Hill UniversityAlex J. Berryman - BirdLife internationalPatrice Bouchard - Agriculture and Agri-Food CanadaJohn S Buckeridge - RMIT UniversityLeslie Christidis - Southern Cross 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:wildNeil L. 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 ViennaMarianne Le Roux - South African National Biodiversity InstituteThomas Pape - University of CopenhagenRichard L Pyle - Bernice Pauahi Bishop MuseumLauren Raz - Universidad Nacional de ColombiaPhilip Thomas - Edinburgh Botanic Gardens (UK)Scott Thomson - Charles Darwin UniversityLeen Vandepitte - Flanders Marine InstituteNina Wambiji - Mpala Research Centre (Kenya)Frank E Zachos - Charles Darwin UniversityAaron M Lien - Charles Darwin University
- Publication Details
- BioScience, Vol.First online
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press; OXFORD
- Grant note
- Support for the research has been provided by Australian Research Council grant no. DP230102933.
- Identifiers
- 991013291355202368
- Copyright
- © The Author(s) 2025.
- Academic Unit
- Research Infrastructure and Operations
- Language
- English
- Resource Type
- Journal article