Perceived and observed biases within scientific communities: a case study in movement ecology

Title (eng)
Perceived and observed biases within scientific communities: a case study in movement ecology
Author
Allison K. Shaw
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Author
Dongmin Kim
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Author
Nilanjan Chatterjee
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Author
David Wolfson
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Author
Briana Abrahms
Department of Biology, University of Washington
Author
Nina Attias
Instituto de Conservação de Animais SIlvestres
Author
Christine E. Beardsworth
School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Liverpool John Moores University
Author
Roxanne S. Beltran
Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of California Santa Cruz
Author
Sandra A. Binning
Département de Sciences Biologiques, Université de Montréal
Author
Kayla M. Blincow
College of Science and Mathematics, University of the Virgin Islands
Author
Ying-Chi Chan
Swiss Ornithological Institute
Author
Emanuel A. Fronhofer
ISEM, University of Montpellier-CNRS-IRD
Author
Arne Hegemann
Department of Biology, Lund University
Author
Edward R. Hurme
Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
Author
Fabiola Iannarilli
Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University
Author
Julie B. Kellner
Biology Department, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution
Author
Karen D. McCoy
MiVEGEC, University of Montpellier-CNRS-IRD
Author
Kasim Rafiq
Department of Biology, University of Washington
Author
Marjo Saastamoinen
Organismal and Evolutionary Biology Research Programme, Faculty of Biological and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki
Author
Ana M. M. Sequeira
Division of Ecology and Evolution, Australian National University
Author
Mitchell W. Serota
Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California Berkeley
Author
Petra Sumasgutner
Konrad Lorenz Research Center (KLF), University of Vienna
Author
Yun Tao
Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Georgia
Author
Martha Torstenson
Department of Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Author
Scott W. Yanco
Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University
Author
Kristina B. Beck
Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre
Author
Michael G. Bertram
Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Author
Larissa T. Beumer
Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre
Author
Maja Bradarić
Institute for biodiversity and ecosystem dynamics, University of Amsterdam
Author
Jeanne Clermont
Département de biologie, Université de Sherbrooke
Author
Diego Ellis-Soto
Center for Biodiversity and Global Change, Yale University
Author
Monika Faltusová
Faculty of Forestry and Wood Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences
Author
John Fieberg
Department of Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology, University of Minnesota Twin Cities
Author
Richard J. Hall
Odum School of Ecology, University of Georgia
Author
Andrea Kölzsch
Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
Author
Sandra Lai
Department of Biology, University of Oxford
Author
Larisa Lee-Cruz
UMR TETIS, French Agricultural Research Centre for International Development
Author
Matthias-Claudio Loretto
Research Institute of Wildlife Ecology, Department of Interdisciplinary Life Sciences, University of Veterinary Medicine Vienna
Author
Alexandra Loveridge
The Marine Biological Association
Author
Marcus Michelangeli
Department of Wildlife, Fish, and Environmental Studies, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Author
Thomas Müller
Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre
Author
Louise Riotte-Lambert
CEFE, CNRS, University of Montpellier-EPHE-IRD
Author
Nir Sapir
Department of Evolutionary and Environmental Biology and Institute of Evolution, University of Haifa
Author
Martina Scacco
Department of Migration, Max Planck Institute of Animal Behavior
Author
Claire S. Teitelbaum
NASA Ames Research Center
Author
Francesca Cagnacci
Animal Ecology Unit, Research and Innovation Centre, Fondazione Edmund Mach
Author
Abstract (eng)
Who conducts biological research, where they do it and how results are disseminated vary among geographies and identities. Identifying and documenting these forms of bias by research communities is a critical step towards addressing them. We documented perceived and observed biases in movement ecology, a rapidly expanding sub-discipline of biology, which is strongly underpinned by fieldwork and technology use. We surveyed attendees before an international conference to assess a baseline within-discipline perceived bias (uninformed perceived bias). We analysed geographic patterns in Movement Ecology articles, finding discrepancies between the country of the authors’ affiliation and study site location, related to national economics. We analysed race-gender identities of USA biology researchers (the closest to our sub-discipline with data available), finding that they differed from national demographics. Finally, we discussed the quantitatively observed bias at the conference, to assess within-discipline perceived bias informed with observational data (informed perceived bias). Although the survey indicated most conference participants as bias-aware, conversations only covered a subset of biases. We discuss potential causes of bias (parachute-science, fieldwork accessibility), solutions and the need to evaluate mitigatory action effectiveness. Undertaking data-driven analysis of bias within sub-disciplines can help identify specific barriers and move towards the inclusion of a greater diversity of participants in the scientific process.
Keywords (eng)
Academic ConferenceDiversityEquityJournal AuthorshipParachute ScienceRepresentation
Type (eng)
Language
[eng]
Is in series
Title (eng)
Proceedings of the Royal Society B: Biological Sciences
Volume
292
Issue
2051
ISSN
1471-2954
Issued
2025
Number of pages
12
Publication
Royal Society of London
Date issued
2025
Access rights (eng)
Rights statement (eng)
© 2025 The Author(s)