Work

The most threatened plants receive the least scientific attention

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Societal Impact Statement Plants sustain all life, providing the energetic and structural basis of ecosystems, but they face a growing risk of extinction. Reversing this decline requires an understanding of how scientific knowledge is distributed among species and identification of the biases and gaps that hinder effective responses to the threats they face. However, we reveal here that most threatened species remain understudied, while research focuses on nonthreatened species and a few species of economic value. Given this imbalance, we offer some suggestions for plant scientists, aiming to address gaps and biases and expand scientific knowledge. Summary Scientific knowledge plays a vital role in guiding evidence‐based conservation efforts. However, not all species receive equal attention, and the scientific literature reflects structural biases that are often difficult to quantify. Here, we assessed how scientific attention to plant species in Brazil varies across extinction risk categories and identified the intrinsic and contextual factors shaping their representation in scientific studies. We analyzed 7524 native Brazilian species formally assessed for extinction risk, integrating systematic Web of Science searches with a complementary statistical framework to quantify and compare species‐level visibility and publication dynamics. The most threatened species receive less scientific attention, including a lower proportion of species studied and fewer publications per species throughout the study period compared to nonthreatened species. Although multiple factors influence scientific attention, economic value emerged as the strongest predictor of publication volume, exceeding conservation urgency and other factors. Scientific attention to Brazilian plants is misaligned with conservation needs, introducing systematic biases into the knowledge base that underpins research prioritization, conservation planning, and environmental policy.

Source: Plants People Planet

DOI: 10.1002/ppp3.70216

Authors: Renon S. Andrade, Matilda J. M. Brown, Leandro Freitas, Eimear M. Nic Lughadha

Institutions: Instituto de Pesquisas Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew

Language: English

Topic: Botany and Plant Ecology Studies

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,180