ROBITT: A tool for assessing the risk-of-bias in studies of temporal trends in ecology.

Autor: Boyd RJ; UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Wallingford UK., Powney GD; UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Wallingford UK., Burns F; RSPB Centre for Conservation Science Cambridge UK., Danet A; Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS Sorbonne Université Paris France., Duchenne F; Swiss Federal Institute for Forest Snow and Landscape Research (WSL) Birmensdorf Switzerland., Grainger MJ; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) Trondheim Norway., Jarvis SG; UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Lancaster Environment Centre Lancaster UK., Martin G; Laboratoire EDB Évolution & Diversité Biologique UMR 5174 Université de Toulouse, Université Toulouse 3 Paul Sabatier, UPS, CNRS, IRD Toulouse France., Nilsen EB; Norwegian Institute for Nature Research (NINA) Trondheim Norway.; Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture Nord University Steinkjer Norway., Porcher E; Centre d'Ecologie et des Sciences de la Conservation (CESCO), Muséum national d'Histoire naturelle, CNRS Sorbonne Université Paris France., Stewart GB; Evidence Synthesis Lab, School of Natural and Environmental Science University of Newcastle Newcastle-upon-Tyne UK., Wilson OJ; Plantlife Salisbury UK., Pescott OL; UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology Wallingford UK.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Methods in ecology and evolution [Methods Ecol Evol] 2022 Jul; Vol. 13 (7), pp. 1497-1507. Date of Electronic Publication: 2022 Apr 06.
DOI: 10.1111/2041-210X.13857
Abstrakt: Aggregated species occurrence and abundance data from disparate sources are increasingly accessible to ecologists for the analysis of temporal trends in biodiversity. However, sampling biases relevant to any given research question are often poorly explored and infrequently reported; this can undermine statistical inference. In other disciplines, it is common for researchers to complete 'risk-of-bias' assessments to expose and document the potential for biases to undermine conclusions. The huge growth in available data, and recent controversies surrounding their use to infer temporal trends, indicate that similar assessments are urgently needed in ecology.We introduce ROBITT, a structured tool for assessing the 'Risk-Of-Bias In studies of Temporal Trends in ecology'. ROBITT has a similar format to its counterparts in other disciplines: it comprises signalling questions designed to elicit information on the potential for bias in key study domains. In answering these, users will define study inferential goal(s) and relevant statistical target populations. This information is used to assess potential sampling biases across domains relevant to the research question (e.g. geography, taxonomy, environment), and how these vary through time. If assessments indicate biases, then users must clearly describe them and/or explain what mitigating action will be taken.Everything that users need to complete a ROBITT assessment is provided: the tool, a guidance document and a worked example. Following other disciplines, the tool and guidance document were developed through a consensus-forming process across experts working in relevant areas of ecology and evidence synthesis.We propose that researchers should be strongly encouraged to include a ROBITT assessment when publishing studies of biodiversity trends, especially when using aggregated data. This will help researchers to structure their thinking, clearly acknowledge potential sampling issues, highlight where expert consultation is required and provide an opportunity to describe data checks that might go unreported. ROBITT will also enable reviewers, editors and readers to establish how well research conclusions are supported given a dataset combined with some analytical approach. In turn, it should strengthen evidence-based policy and practice, reduce differing interpretations of data and provide a clearer picture of the uncertainties associated with our understanding of reality.
Competing Interests: The authors have no conflict of interest to disclose.
(© 2022 The Authors. Methods in Ecology and Evolution published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of British Ecological Society.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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