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Searching for spatial, temporal, and taxonomic gaps in a comprehensive array of Channel Islands biological specimens to guide future research and management

Project Dates

2020 - 2021

Summary

Biodiversity knowledge for the California Channel Islands varies greatly by the taxonomic group you are considering. The birds, herpetofauna, mammals, and plants have been relatively well studied for over a century, while the work to understand the bryophytes (mosses, liverworts, and hornworts), lichens, macrofungi, and invertebrates has been quite limited. Scientific knowledge is not complete for any of these groups, however. For this project, the expert team gathered specimen and observation records for all these groups and assessed them for places where information is lacking — either for particular islands or island locations, for periods of time, or for particular taxonomic groups. This study has generated a plethora of insights and recommendations for future work and has resulted in new or updated checklists for the lesser-known groups.

Goals

To reveal spatial, temporal, and taxonomic gaps and trends in biological specimens on the Channel Islands to guide future research and conservation

Report: Gap Analysis Report

 

Team Members

Denise Knapp, Ph.D.

Kylie Etter

Casey Richart, Ph.D.

Josie Lesage, Ph.D.

Matt Guilliams, Ph.D.

Kristen Lehman, Ph.D.

Rikke Reese Naesborg, Ph.D.

Christian Schwarz

Partners

Paul Collins (Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History)

Greg Pauly, Ph.D. (Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County)

Brian Brown, Ph.D. (Natural History Museums of Los Angeles County)

Ben Carter, Ph.D. (San Jose State University)

Funders

The Nature Conservancy

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