Knowledge gaps
Introduction
One of the main functions of IPBES consists in strengthening the knowledge foundations, to promote the generation of new knowledge and management of data on biodiversity and ecosystem services. Therefore, IPBES undertakes to catalyse the generation of new knowledge by making the knowledge gaps identified in completed IPBES assessments known, and promote their uptake by relevant organizations that programme and fund biodiversity research.
This web page currently presents the knowledge gaps identified within the following assessments:
- IPBES Assessment of Invasive Alien Species
- IPBES Global Assessment of Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services
- IPBES Regional Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Africa
- IPBES Regional Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for the Americas
- IPBES Regional Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Asia and the Pacific
- IPBES Regional Assessment Report on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services for Europe and Central Asia
The list below contains, for each gap, references to the corresponding chapters, sections and pages of the assessment reports.
Categories of knowledge gaps
Disclaimers
Global Assessment: A table of knowledge gaps was prepared by the experts of the Global Assessment and presented to and considered by a working group established by the Plenary at its seventh session. The Plenary did not approve this table as part of the summary for policymakers. It is therefore included in draft form, which does not imply working group or Plenary approval. This table is reproduced from appendix 4 of the Summary for Policymakers of the Global Assessment, with the addition of references to specific sections in the chapters or to the SPM.
Regional Assessments (Africa, Americas, Asia and the Pacific, Europe and Central Asia): The Plenary did not approve the table of gaps as part of the assessments. They were prepared by the technical support unit on knowledge and data.
ID | Knowledge gaps | Assessment sub-chapter | Category | Page(s) | Container | Assessment report | Chapter |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
69396 | Incomplete or lack of inventories of invasive alien microorganisms and invertebrates {2.3.1.11, 2.3.3.3} |
Gaps on biomes, units of analysis and species groups | 110 | Table | |||
69397 | Lack of understanding of the drivers of change that facilitate biological invasion for some animal groups (notably invertebrates), fungi and microbes {3.6.1} |
Gaps on biomes, units of analysis and species groups | 339 | Table | |||
69398 | Lack of understanding and synthesis of the impact of invasive alien microbes {4.7.2} |
Gaps on biomes, units of analysis and species groups | 519 | Table | |||
69399 | Poor understanding of drivers of change that facilitate biological invasions in aquatic and marine systems {3.6.1} |
Gaps on biomes, units of analysis and species groups | 339 | Table | |||
69400 | Lack of data on successful restoration attempts in terrestrial and marine systems {5.5.6, 5.6.2.1} |
Gaps on biomes, units of analysis and species groups | 645 | Table | |||
69401 | Comparatively incomplete inventories of invasive alien species in Africa (especially in East Africa and adjacent islands) and Central Asia {2.4.2.5, 2.4.5.5} |
Regional gaps in data and knowledge | 141, 142 | Table | |||
69402 | Comparative lack of understanding of the drivers of change that facilitate biological invasions in developing economies {box 3.13} |
Regional gaps in data and knowledge | 342 | Table | |||
69403 | Lack of data and knowledge of the drivers of biological invasions in subSaharan Africa, tropical Asia and South America {3.6.3} |
Regional gaps in data and knowledge | 347 | Table | |||
69404 | Incomplete data on the impact of invasive alien species across Africa and Central Asia {4.7.2} |
Regional gaps in data and knowledge | 519 | Table | |||
69405 | Lack of standardization of terminology for invasive alien species monitoring {2.4.4.5, 6.6.2.3, 6.6.2.7} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 154 | Table | |||
69406 | Lack of information on the role of indirect drivers, especially governance and sociocultural drivers, in affecting biological invasions {3.1.5, 3.6.1, box 3.13} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 278 | Table | |||
69407 | Lack of understanding of the net effects of multiple interacting drivers in shaping and promoting biological invasions {3.5, box 3.10, 3.6.1, box 3.13} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 331 | Table | |||
69408 | Lack of knowledge on interactions and feedback across drivers in promoting invasions {3.1.5, 3.6.1} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 278 | Table | |||
69409 | Lack of integration of impact data and knowledge sources across languages {4.7.2} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 520 | Table | |||
69410 | Incomplete data to undertake risk management, cost-effective species-based surveillance and detection of fungi, microbes and marine pests {table 5.11} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 657, 658, 659 | Table | |||
69411 | Incomplete data to prioritize biological invasion management under climate, sea- and land-use change {5.6.1.3} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 651, 652 | Table | |||
69412 | Lack of inventories at fine scales and for specific taxon and biome contexts to support decision-makers in determining when to implement species-based or site-based management (or both) {5.6.2.1, 5.7} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 654 | Table | |||
69413 | Incomplete data to develop pathway risk assessments and management for different taxonomic groups and biomes {table 5.11, 5.6.2.5} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 657, 658, 659 | Table | |||
69414 | Incomplete data and understanding of site-based and ecosystem-based management concepts {5.6.2.1} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 654 | Table | |||
69415 | Incomplete data and understanding of the conditions that facilitate successful integration of policy developments into management plans {6.6.1.4} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 800 | Table | |||
69416 | Lack of indicators of the various dimensions of biological invasion that are policy-relevant, sensitive, reliable, relevant at national and global scales, sustained for mediumto-long-term tracking of progress and part of a responsive policy environment {6.6.3} |
Interoparable data for monitoring invasive alien species and effects of drivers biodiversity change | 811 | Table | |||
69417 | Incomplete data on impact on nature’s contributions to people and good quality of life {4.7.2} |
Gaps on how invasive alien species affect nature's contributions to people | 520 | Table | |||
69418 | Lack of control options for marine invasive alien species and invasive alien microbial fungal pathogens of plants and animals {5.6.1.1} |
Management and policy approaches | 648, 649 | Table | |||
69419 | Lack of agreed-upon methods of supporting management decisionmaking for invasive alien species with both positive and negative impacts {5.6.1.2} |
Management and policy approaches | 648, 649 | Table | |||
69420 | Lack of methods of managing pathways for invasive alien species arriving as contaminants, or through shipping containers, e-commerce (legal/illegal), biofouling or ports, and across land borders and along trade supply chains {table 5.11, 5.6.2.4} |
Management and policy approaches | 657, 658, 659 | Table | |||
69421 | Lack of methods for adaptive management of invasive alien invertebrates and plants using alternative approaches given the declining number of chemical control options {5.6.2.5} |
Management and policy approaches | 660, 661 | Table | |||
69422 | Lack of eradication guidelines and strategies for generalist invasive alien invertebrates, diseases and hard-todetect freshwater and marine invasive alien species {5.6.2.1, table 5.11} |
Management and policy approaches | 654 | Table | |||
69423 | Lack of scenarios and models of invasive alien species that consider interactions with other drivers of global change {2.6.5, 6.6.1.6} |
Management and policy approaches | 194 | Table | |||
69424 | Missing information on the implementation of adaptive-collaborative governance for biological invasions and factors important to the success of that governance strategy {6.4.4.5} |
Management and policy approaches | 785 | Table | |||
69425 | Incomplete data on the effectiveness of policies, management strategies and actions related to biological invasions {6.1.3, 6.6.3} |
Management and policy approaches | 733 | Table | |||
69426 | Lack of tools and frameworks to predict biological invasions {6.2.1, 6.6.1.6, 6.7.2.7} |
Gaps to fill to support the implementation of policy and management | 738 | Table | |||
69427 | Lack of tools to reduce the barriers to information-sharing within and across countries {6.6.2} |
Gaps to fill to support the implementation of policy and management | 802 | Table | |||
69428 | Lack of research and data on how best to implement integrated governance systems to manage biological invasions {6.6.1.3, 6.6.1.4, 6.6.2} |
Gaps to fill to support the implementation of policy and management | 800 | Table | |||
69429 | Design principles for an integrated governance system to manage biological invasions {6.7.2.3, 6.7.3} |
Gaps to fill to support the implementation of policy and management | 817 | Table | |||
69430 | Lack of mechanisms that allow effective collaboration among different aspects of the socioecological systems {figure 6.7} |
Gaps to fill to support the implementation of policy and management | 740 | Table | |||
69431 | Lack of information on invasive alien species status and trends on land and water managed by Indigenous Peoples and local communities, especially coastal waters {box 2.6} |
Gaps in knowledge on invasive alien species of particular relevance to Indigenous People and local communities | 134, 135 | Table | |||
69432 | Lack of information on Indigenous and local knowledge, values and culture regarding the drivers and impact of invasive alien species on land and water managed by Indigenous Peoples and local communities {1.6.7.1, box 3.15} |
Gaps in knowledge on invasive alien species of particular relevance to Indigenous People and local communities | 40 | Table | |||
69433 | Lack of understanding of and mechanisms for sharing knowledge on invasive alien species and their drivers, impact, management and governance among Indigenous Peoples and local communities and researchers and other outsiders {6.6.1.5} |
Gaps in knowledge on invasive alien species of particular relevance to Indigenous People and local communities | 801 | Table | |||
69434 | Lack of consideration of the knowledge and perceptions of Indigenous Peoples and local communities in scenarios and models {1.6.7.3, 4.7.1, 6.6.1.6} |
Gaps in knowledge on invasive alien species of particular relevance to Indigenous People and local communities | 48 | Table |