DOI: 10.3897/rio.12.e174543

Authors: Luciana Chavez Rodriguez, Guilherme Oyarzabal, Bruno Eleres Soares, Alejandra Guzmán Luna, César Marín

Abstract: A brain drain phenomenon, i.e. the migration of highly skilled professionals, has represented and still represents a severe loss of intellectual capital for Global South countries. Factors driving this migration include limited research infrastructure, funding constraints, political instability and the lack of scientific career prospects in the Global South and the consequences are multifaceted. While this can hinder local development in the Global South, it simultaneously enriches research ecosystems in the Global North, exacerbating existing global inequalities in science and technology. Under this scenario, scientific diasporas represent an effort to counterbalance the brain drain scenario through initiatives that aim to increase science and technology development, which are led by self-organised expat professionals and scientists. While we can find some successful examples of international cooperation driven by scientific diasporas, without a proper organisation and full participation of the governments of the countries of origin, scientific diasporas can become dysfunctional and can promote more migration upon training. We, five early-career scientists, discuss our perspectives and personal reflections on scientific diasporas. We describe three migration models of highly skilled professionals, starting with a brain drain model, scientific diaspora and dysfunctional scientific diaspora and provide some ideas to help the implementation of successful scientific diasporas. We believe that migration must be a personal decision seeking scientific growth and professional development and not the only option we should have to pursue a fulfilling career in science.

HTML

XML

PDF

DOI: 10.3897/rio.11.e181727

Authors: Alexandra-Maria Klein, Anda Adamsone-Fiskovica, Georgina Alins, Per Angelstam, Aurelie Belveze, Jordi Bosch, Tom Breeze, Richard Comont, Elise de Groot, Lynn Dicks, Anselm Rodrigo Dominguez, György Dudás, Lotta Fabricius Kristiansen, Mariia Fedoriak, Nicola Gallai, Michael Garratt, Mikelis Grivins, Christina Grozinger, Nigel Jenner, Georgios Kleftodimos, David Kleijn, Anikó Kovács-Hostyánszki, Bodo Krauss, Sara Leonhardt, Julia Osterman, Annie Ouin, Amy Plowman, Simon Potts, Claus Rasmussen, Laura Roquer-Beni, Daniele Rossi, Maj Rundlöf, Oliver Schweiger, Henrik Smith, Jane Stout, Louis Sutter, Martin Thorsøe, George Vlontzos, Dimitry Wintermantel, Nina Kranke, Amibeth Thompson

Abstract: RestPoll is a transdisciplinary project aiming to provide society with tools to reverse wild insect pollinator declines and to position Europe as a global leader in pollinator restoration and set the future agenda for pollinator restoration worldwide. The RestPoll consortium combines the expertise of natural and social scientists, as well as representatives of NGOs, businesses and ministries. RestPoll - together with stakeholders ranging from individual land managers to public authorities - co-designs, evaluates and refines measures and cross-sectoral approaches to restore pollinators and their services. Central to RestPoll is the establishment of a Europe-wide network of pollinator restoration case-study areas with Living Labs, which are unique hubs for experimentation, demonstration and mutual learning at various spatial scales (field, farm, landscape, European scales), in landscapes dominated by intensively managed crops or grasslands. The RestPoll consortium explores, tests, evaluates and refines cross-sectoral pollinator restoration approaches to conserve biodiversity and to benefit nature and society. Our holistic approach also aims to engage in participatory planning and the development of new business models along the food value chain by engaging through newly-developed participatory approaches at diverse social, ecological and political scales. Learning outcomes are communicated to a diverse range of regional and European partners and collaborators, which allows for making a lasting impact beyond the end of the project.

HTML

XML

PDF

DOI: 10.3897/rio.11.e177547

Authors: Elisaveta Kozhuharova

Abstract: The decline of wild bees is a hazard to both agricultural products and biodiversity. Since the problem, in general, is of anthropogenic origin, society must be well-informed and educated, so that adequate actions can be taken. This is valid, particularly for the future generation. The aim of this study is to investigate 1) the knowledge of children about bees and their role in the ecosystems and 2) which information sources do children rely on, and how do they assess their credibility. An interview was conducted with 60 children aged between 6 and 12. The study reveals that knowledge of facts about bees is limited. Although 70.0% of children know that bees are “useful and necessary”, and 78.3% of children think that “plants need bees”, they generally do not understand their role in ecosystems. Therefore, education about biodiversity conservation is crucial. The challenge for researchers and educators is to present well-adapted information about bees to children, with a special focus on wild bees. Media literacy is a bridge between the children and the digital world. It can be an efficient tool to create "an ecological way of thinking for biodiversity conservation" as a part of the children‘s personal value system. Children should be prepared to filter true from fake information. In the future they must be capable of advocating a competent citizenship position for biodiversity protection in policy making.

HTML

XML

PDF

DOI: 10.3897/rio.11.e175726

Authors: António Jorge do Rosário Cruz, Fernanda Herrera-Mesías, Anna Hauprich, Dylan Thissen, Alexander Weigand

Abstract: The ultimate goal of the beelibre project is to provide a kind of “one-stop-shop” online resource, hosting within a single multi-lingual website (beelibre.lu) relevant information concerning the wild bee fauna of Luxembourg. This website will provide free and immediate access to information on the taxonomy, natural history and geographical distribution of the over 350 species of wild bees species recorded in Luxembourg. For this purpose, four sections (a.k.a “libraries”) are hosted within the website: i) a database of high-quality images taken from live bees and museum specimens (for morpho-taxonomic identification and outreach); ii) a bibliographic repository of all nationally relevant publications (for metadata analysis and knowledge exchange), incl. short summaries; iii) a pollen inventory pilot experiment aiming to uncover potential ecological interactions between regional host flowering plants and their associated wild bee pollinators and iv) a DNA barcode reference library of wild bee species from Luxembourg currently lacking reference material in BOLD systems (for molecular taxonomic identification).This initiative to produce and transfer knowledge about wild bees is aligned with Luxembourg's national action plan for pollinators and contributes directly to reducing knowledge shortfalls in relation to European bees. Therefore, all materials will be freely available to both researchers and the general public, socialising scientific knowledge to a wider audience and raising awareness on national pollinator biodiversity. With this initiative, we aim to provide a space that combines past efforts with current technology, building a platform that can be used to further assist and develop national conservation strategies protecting the wild bee fauna of Luxembourg.

HTML

XML

PDF

DOI: 10.3897/rio.11.e163815

Authors: Gonzalo Bravo, Gregorio Bigatti, Mariana Lozada, Luke Thompson, Juan Livore, María Mendez, Lorena Arribas, Lino Bigatti, Tyler Christian, Erasmo Macaya, Edgardo Londoño-Cruz, Nicolas Moity, Juan Cruz-Motta, Augusto Flores, Gabriela Vélez-Rubio, Maria Palomo, Cesar Cordeiro, Franciane Pellizzari, Maritza Cárdenas-Calle, La Daana Kanhai, Ivonne Vivar Linares, Patricia Gil-Kodaka, Linsey Martinez, Pablo Sugliano, Agostina Trigo, Juan Zottola, Dulce Blanco, Matias Tricase, Nadia Bravo, Mariana Degrati, Camila Tavano Formigo, Frank Muller-Karger, Enrique Montes

Abstract: The Marine Biodiversity Observation Network Pole to Pole of the Americas (MBON Pole to Pole) brought together 30 participants from 10 countries in Patagonia, Argentina, to strengthen observing capacity of coastal biodiversity across the Americas. The network held a five-day workshop focused on three core components: standardized rocky intertidal photo-quadrat surveys, low-cost environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, and affordable plankton imaging tools. Participants included researchers, park rangers, and conservation practitioners fostering a collaborative and inclusive environment. Key outcomes included field validation of protocols, identification of context-specific methodological adaptations (e.g., for low tidal amplitude areas), adoption of novel tools for monitoring marine life, and strategies for broader participation and data harmonization. The workshop highlighted the potential of simple, replicable methods to support long-term monitoring, and emphasized the value of shared protocols, tools, and open data for building a more connected and resilient regional observation network.

HTML

XML

PDF

DOI: 10.3897/rio.4.e32449

Authors: Katja Seltmann, Sara Lafia, Deborah Paul, Shelley James, David Bloom, Nelson Rios, Shari Ellis, Una Farrell, Jessica Utrup, Michael Yost, Edward Davis, Rob Emery, Gary Motz, Julien Kimmig, Vaughn Shirey, Emily Sandall, Daniel Park, Christopher Tyrrell, R. Sean Thackurdeen, Matthew Collins, Vincent O'Leary, Heather Prestridge, Christopher Evelyn, Ben Nyberg

Abstract: Georeferencing is the process of aligning a text description of a geographic location with a spatial location based on a geographic coordinate system. Training aids are commonly created around the georeferencing process to disseminate community standards and ideas, guide accurate georeferencing, inform users about new tools, and help users evaluate existing geospatial data. The Georeferencing for Research Use (GRU) workshop was implemented as a training aid that focused on the creation and research use of geospatial coordinates, and included both data researchers and data providers, to facilitate communication between the groups. The workshop included 23 participants with a wide background of expertise ranging from students (undergraduate and graduate), professors, researchers and educators, scientific data managers, natural history collections personnel, and spatial analyst specialists. The conversations and survey results from this workshop demonstrate that it is important to provide opportunities for biocollections data providers to interact directly with the researchers using the data they produce and vice versa.

HTML

XML

PDF