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Utility of primary scientific literature to environmental managers: an international case study on coral-dominated marine protected areas
Citation
Cvitanovic, C and Fulton, CJ and Wilson, SK and van Kerkhoff, L and Cripps, IL and Muthiga, N, Utility of primary scientific literature to environmental managers: an international case study on coral-dominated marine protected areas, Ocean & Coastal Management, 102 pp. 72-78. ISSN 0964-5691 (2014) [Refereed Article]
Copyright Statement
© 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
DOI: doi:10.1016/j.ocecoaman.2014.09.003
Abstract
The integration of scientific information into the decision-making process for the management of marine
resources remains a significant challenge, with the inaccessibility of primary scientific literature to
environmental practitioners identified as a key limiting factor. Here, we quantify the use of primary
scientific literature in environmental management plans, and explore potential barriers to the efficient
integration of such scientific information into the decision-making process. Through a case study of coral
dominated Marine Protected Areas (MPAs) spanning three countries (Australia, Kenya and Belize), we
find that primary scientific literature represents only 14% of information cited in management plans.
Such a low proportion is likely to be symptomatic of several issues regarding the accessibility of primary
scientific literature to MPA managers, such as: 1. Long publication times for articles (average 40.2 ± 1.8
months); 2. Subscription-only access (up to 56% of articles behind paywalls); and/or 3. Poor articulation
of management implications (only 19% of articles provided clear outcomes relevant to management).
Such impediments can undermine the adaptive governance of MPAs, so we suggest improvements to
knowledge transfer among scientists and managers via a diversity of approaches including knowledge
brokers, boundary organisations, knowledge co-production and management-orientated summaries in
research articles.
Item Details
| Item Type: | Refereed Article |
|---|---|
| Keywords: | knowledge exchange, knowledge transfer, decision-making |
| Research Division: | Environmental Sciences |
| Research Group: | Environmental management |
| Research Field: | Natural resource management |
| Objective Division: | Environmental Management |
| Objective Group: | Coastal and estuarine systems and management |
| Objective Field: | Assessment and management of coastal and estuarine ecosystems |
| UTAS Author: | Cvitanovic, C (Dr Christopher Cvitanovic) |
| ID Code: | 105184 |
| Year Published: | 2014 |
| Web of Science® Times Cited: | 61 |
| Deposited By: | IMAS Research and Education Centre |
| Deposited On: | 2015-12-12 |
| Last Modified: | 2017-12-06 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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