Co-production and conservation physiology: outcomes, challenges and opportunities arising from reflections on diverse co-produced projects
As a relatively nascent discipline, conservation physiology has struggled to deliver science that is relevant to decision-makers or directly useful to practitioners. A growing body of literature has revealed that co-produced research is more likely to generate knowledge that is not only relevant, but that is also embraced and actionable. Co-production broadly involves conducting research collaboratively, inclusively, and in a respectful and engaged manner-spanning all stages from identifying research needs to study design, data collection, interpretation and application. This approach aims to create actionable science and deliver meaningful benefits to all partners involved. Knowledge can be co-produced with practitioners/managers working for regulators or stewardship bodies, Indigenous communities and governments, industry (e.g. fishers, foresters, farmers) and other relevant actors. Using diverse case studies spanning issues, taxa and regions from around the globe, we explore examples of co-produced research related to conservation physiology. In doing so, we highlight benefits and challenges while also identifying lessons for others considering such an approach. Although co-production cannot guarantee the ultimate success of a project, for applied research (such as what conservation physiology purports to deliver), embracing co-production is increasingly regarded as the single-most important approach for generating actionable science to inform conservation. In that sense, the conservation physiology community would be more impactful and relevant if it became commonplace to embrace co-production as demonstrated by the case studies presented here.
Authors
- Craig E. Franklin (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1315-3797)
- Jennifer F. Provencher (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4972-2034)
- Anne E. Todgham (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-1439-6985)
- Michael Cheung (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0021-3802)
- Jason C. Stevens (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5821-9206)
- Alexandra N. Schoen (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4806-552X)
- Jolene A. Giacinti (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-4843-599X)
- Eric J. Mullen
- Wolfgang Lewandrowski (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7496-7690)
- Steven J. Cooke (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5407-0659)
- Peter Buss (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5614-0975)
- C. Adolph
- Brittany Bard (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3307-7341)
- Caleb T. Hasler (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3242-7415)
- Bradley E. Howell (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8552-6957)
- Andrea Fuller (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6370-8151)
- Terri R. Irwin
- Alana Wilcox (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9403-3812)
- Hayden Ajduk
- Nolan N. Bett (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4034-8696)
- Leith C. R. Meyer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5122-2469)
- Sean Tomlinson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0864-5391)
- Rachel C. Johnson (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-0278-7826)
- Ronald B. Irwin
- Jodie L. Rummer (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6067-5892)
- Emily P. Tudor (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-2628-3999)
- Nann A. Fangue (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5419-0282)
- Frédéric Dwyer-Samuel (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5988-6772)
- Scott G. Hinch (ORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0004-2809-734X)
- M.I. Saunders
- Reyd Dupuis‐Smith
- Rebekah Sze-Tung Olstad
- Marine Sisk
- Chief Caleen Sisk
Institutions
- South African National Parks (ZA)
- Environment and Climate Change Canada (CA)
- University of British Columbia (CA)
- The University of Queensland (AU)
- The University of Western Australia (AU)
- University of the Witwatersrand (ZA)
- Curtin University (AU)
- Australia Zoo (AU)
- Research Manitoba (CA)
- Onderstepoort Veterinary Academic Hospital (ZA)
- St Mary's Hospital Centre (CA)
- NOAA National Marine Fisheries Service Southwest Fisheries Science Center (US)
- Business Development Bank of Canada (CA)
- Queensland Department of Environment and Science (AU)
- Government of Nunavut (CA)
- Cultural Heritage Administration (KR)
- Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions (AU)
- Battle Creek Public Schools (US)
- Government of Manitoba (CA)
- The University of Adelaide (AU)
- Carleton University (CA)
- University of California, Davis (US)
- James Cook University (AU)
- The University of Winnipeg (CA)
- Rio Tinto (Australia) (AU)
Publication Details
- Journal
- Conservation Physiology
- Published
- 2025-01-01
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1093/conphys/coaf049
- Citations
- 4
- Primary Topic
- Species Distribution and Climate Change
- Type
- article
- Field-Weighted Citation Impact
- 7.35
Funders
- Genome Canada
- California Department of Fish and Wildlife