The past, present and future of online biodiversity knowledge systems

In recent decades, there has been an exponential increase in the availability and accessibility of biodiversity data and a profusion of portals, tools, and platforms through which to utilise it. This reflects the extensive variety of challenges biodiversity data is being used to address and the need to enhance decision-making by different stakeholder groups. Whilst this has provided unprecedented opportunities for those outside mainstream academia to contribute to and benefit from these resources, it can create confusion in navigating biodiversity data within a highly saturated landscape. This paper reviews the current state of online tools for biodiversity capturing both global systems, alongside a non-comprehensive sample of regional and national systems. We aim to highlight areas of duplication and identify gaps and offer suggestions on paths forward to consolidate systems to provide greater impact. We present a new database of around 700 global, 250 regional and potentially over 3000 national web-based data systems and apply bot a newly developed online data systems typology as well as the DPSR+B (Drivers, Pressure, State, Response, Benefits) framework to categorise them. Finally, we consider whether target groups are well defined for these platforms. Our analysis shows that gaps exist for natures benefits, agricultural and wildlife related supply chains, and specific pressures such as illegal and unsustainable use. Moreover, we discuss that users’ inability to find the right tools, or interpret some accurately, may lead to poorer conservation outcomes. We make a series of recommendations in relation to a next-generation of online systems that reduce redundancy, lower costs, and improve delivery of information for decision-making.