Articles

What are the effects of even-aged and uneven-aged forest management on boreal forest biodiversity in Fennoscandia and European Russia? A systematic review protocol

Biodiversity is vital for human well-being, but is threatened by human actions world-wide. In the boreal zone, harvesting and management of forests on an industrial scale is the most important factor driving h...

Authors: Sini Savilaakso, Matti Häkkilä, Anna Johansson, Anne Uusitalo, Terhi Sandgren, Mikko Mönkkönen and Pasi Puttonen

Can conservation targets for imperilled freshwater fishes and mussels be achieved by captive breeding and release programs? A systematic map protocol to determine available evidence

Captive breeding programs are one of the many tools used by conservation practitioners as a means of conserving, supporting, and supplementing populations of imperilled species. Captive breeding programs exist...

Authors: Lisa A. Donaldson, Trina Rytwinski, Jessica J. Taylor, Joseph R. Bennett, D. Andrew R. Drake, André Martel and Steven J. Cooke

Bridging Indigenous and science-based knowledge in coastal-marine research, monitoring, and management in Canada: a systematic map protocol

The incorporation of multiple types of knowledge (e.g., science, Indigenous knowledge, traditional ecological knowledge) is an important undertaking, which can strengthen the evidence-base for policy advice, d...

Authors: Steven M. Alexander, Jennifer F. Provencher, Dominique A. Henri, Jessica J. Taylor and Steven J. Cooke

Impact of structural habitat modifications in coastal temperate systems on fish recruitment: a systematic review

Shallow nearshore marine ecosystems are changing at an increasing rate due to a range of human activities such as urbanisation and commercial development. As a result, an increasing number of structural modifi...

Authors: Biljana Macura, Pär Byström, Laura Airoldi, Britas Klemens Eriksson, Lars Rudstam and Josianne G. Støttrup

Evidence of the impacts of metal mining and the effectiveness of mining mitigation measures on social–ecological systems in Arctic and boreal regions: a systematic map protocol

Mining activities, including prospecting, exploration, construction, operation, maintenance, expansion, abandonment, decommissioning and repurposing of a mine can impact social and environmental systems in a r...

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway, Steven J. Cooke, Pamela Lesser, Biljana Macura, Annika E. Nilsson, Jessica J. Taylor and Kaisa Raito

Evidence of the environmental impact of noise pollution on biodiversity: a systematic map protocol

For decades, biodiversity has suffered massive losses worldwide. Urbanization is one of the major drivers of extinction because it leads to the physical fragmentation and loss of natural habitats and it is ass...

Authors: Romain Sordello, Frédérique Flamerie De Lachapelle, Barbara Livoreil and Sylvie Vanpeene

What is the effectiveness of using conspecific or heterospecific acoustic playbacks for the attraction of animals for wildlife management? A systematic review protocol

Many animals are attracted to the sounds of their conspecifics and some are attracted to the sounds of other species. Therefore, wildlife managers have begun to capitalize on this attraction to lure animals to...

Authors: Breanna J. Putman and Daniel T. Blumstein

What evidence exists relating to effectiveness of ecotechnologies in agriculture for the recovery and reuse of carbon and nutrients in the Baltic and boreo-temperate regions? A systematic map protocol

The degradation of the water quality of the Baltic Sea is an ongoing problem, despite investments in measures to reduce external inputs of pollutants and nutrients from both diffuse and point sources. Excessiv...

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway, Mikołaj Piniewski and Biljana Macura

What is the evidence that ecosystem components or functions have an impact on infectious diseases? A systematic review protocol

Many infectious pathogens can be transmitted from animals to humans and vice versa, or by animals (especially arthropods) to humans. Such diseases are called zoonotic and/or vector-borne diseases. To control o...

Authors: Léa Lugassy, Ludivine Amdouni-Boursier, Haoues Alout, Romuald Berrebi, Christophe Boëte, Franck Boué, Nathalie Boulanger, Jean-François Cosson, Thierry Durand, Michel de Garine-Wichatitsky, Sylvain Larrat, Marie Moinet, Catherine Moulia, Nonito Pagès, Olivier Plantard, Vincent Robert…

A systematic map of evidence on the contribution of forests to poverty alleviation

Forests provide an essential resource to the livelihoods of an estimated 20% of the global population. The contribution of forest ecosystems and forest-based resources to poverty reduction is increasingly emph...

Authors: Samantha H. Cheng, Kavita MacLeod, Sofia Ahlroth, Stefanie Onder, Emilie Perge, Priya Shyamsundar, Pushpendra Rana, Ruth Garside, Patti Kristjanson, Madeleine C. McKinnon and Daniel C. Miller

Engaging environmental policy-makers with systematic reviews: challenges, solutions and lessons learned

The creation and accumulation of robust bodies of knowledge, along with their dissemination, utilisation and integration in decision support are key to improving the use of evidence in decision-making. Systema...

Authors: Alexandra M. Collins, Deborah Coughlin and Nicola Randall

What ecotechnologies exist for recycling carbon and nutrients from domestic wastewater? A systematic map protocol

Pollution of the Baltic Sea continues to be a problem. Major terrestrial sources of nutrient emissions to the Baltic Sea are agriculture and wastewater, both major causes of eutrophication. Wastewater contains...

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway, Solveig L. Johannesdottir, Mikołaj Piniewski and Biljana Macura

Scientific evidence for sustainable plant disease protection strategies for the main arable crops in Sweden. A systematic map protocol

Efficient and sustainable plant protection is of great economic and ecological significance for global crop production. A number of challenges, e.g. climate change, population growth and global trade, put incr...

Authors: Anna Berlin, Helena Nordström Källström, Anders Lindgren and Åke Olson

Cassava farming practices and their agricultural and environmental impacts: a systematic map protocol

Cassava (Manihot esculenta) is a staple crop that is important for food security in the tropics. However, cassava farming can have severe environmental impacts, such as habitat destruction and soil degradation, i...

Authors: Gorm E. Shackelford, Neal R. Haddaway, Hope O. Usieta, Pieter Pypers, Silviu O. Petrovan and William J. Sutherland

What do we know about the impacts of the Marine Stewardship Council seafood ecolabelling program? A systematic map protocol

Voluntary sustainability standards and eco-labels are market-based mechanisms used to encourage producers and consumers toward environmental sustainability. The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is one such pro...

Authors: Ashleigh Arton, Anthony Leiman, Gillian Petrokofsky, Hilde Toonen, Francis Neat and Catherine S. Longo

What is the impact of continuous cover forestry compared to clearcut forestry on stand-level biodiversity in boreal and temperate forests? A systematic review protocol

The ecosystem services provided by forests are essential for societal well-being. Production forests are increasingly expected to provide a range of ecosystem services in addition to wood biomass, as well as t...

Authors: Meelis Seedre, Adam Felton and Matts Lindbladh

What spatially explicit quantitative evidence exists that shows the effect of land tenure on illegal hunting of endangered terrestrial mammals in sub-Saharan Africa? A systematic map protocol

Over the last two decades there has been an increase in the demand for land in Sub Saharan Africa, particularly from foreign agribusiness investment to provide food for an increasing human population. The majo...

Authors: Isla Duporge, Timothy Hodgetts and Maria Brett

Open Synthesis: on the need for evidence synthesis to embrace Open Science

The Open Science movement can be broadly summarised as aiming to promote integrity, repeatability and transparency across all aspects of research, from data collection to publication. Systematic reviews and sy...

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway

What evidence is available on the drivers of grassland ecosystem stability across a range of outcome measurements: a systematic map protocol

Recently there has been considerable focus on the ecosystem services concept which has resulted in important advancements in biodiversity conservation across land management scales. Many have, however, caution...

Authors: Stuart Demmer, Kevin Kirkman and Michelle Tedder

Evidence for the impacts of agroforestry on agricultural productivity, ecosystem services, and human well-being in high-income countries: a systematic map protocol

Agroforestry bridges the gap that often separates agriculture and forestry by building integrated systems that address both environmental and socio-economic objectives. Agroforestry can improve the resiliency ...

Authors: Sarah E. Brown, Daniel C. Miller, Pablo J. Ordonez and Kathy Baylis

Evidence of effects of herbivory on Arctic vegetation: a systematic map protocol

Along with climate change, herbivory is considered a main driver of ecosystem change in terrestrial Arctic environments. Understanding how herbivory influences the resilience of Arctic ecosystems to ongoing en...

Authors: E. M. Soininen, I. Barrio, J. U. Jepsen, D. Ehrich, V. T. Ravolainen and J. D. M. Speed

Absence of evidence for the conservation outcomes of systematic conservation planning around the globe: a systematic map

Systematic conservation planning is a discipline concerned with the prioritisation of resources for biodiversity conservation and is often used in the design or assessment of terrestrial and marine protected a...

Authors: Emma J. McIntosh, Sarah Chapman, Stephen G. Kearney, Brooke Williams, Glenn Althor, Jessica P. R. Thorn, Robert L. Pressey, Madeleine C. McKinnon and Richard Grenyer

Response to “Every ROSE has its thorns”

Sharp et al. [1] raise a number of concerns about the development and communication of ROSES (RepOrting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses), and we welcome the opportunity to explain some of the underlyi...

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway, Biljana Macura, Paul Whaley and Andrew S. Pullin

Every ROSE has its thorns

Authors: Melissa K. Sharp, Linda Nyanchoka and Darko Hren

What is the effect of prescribed burning in temperate and boreal forest on biodiversity, beyond pyrophilous and saproxylic species? A systematic review

While the effects of prescribed burning on tree regeneration and on pyrophilous and/or saproxylic species are relatively well known, effects on other organisms are less clear. The primary aim of this systemati...

Authors: Jacqualyn Eales, Neal R. Haddaway, Claes Bernes, Steven J. Cooke, Bengt Gunnar Jonsson, Jari Kouki, Gillian Petrokofsky and Jessica J. Taylor

What is the available evidence for the application of genome editing as a new tool for plant trait modification and the potential occurrence of associated off-target effects: a systematic map protocol

Plant breeding is a developing process and breeding methods have continuously evolved over time. In recent years, genome editing techniques such as clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats/CRI...

Authors: Dominik Modrzejewski, Frank Hartung, Thorben Sprink, Dörthe Krause, Christian Kohl, Joachim Schiemann and Ralf Wilhelm

How does roadside vegetation management affect the diversity of vascular plants and invertebrates? A systematic review

With appropriate management, based on vegetation removal that reverses late-successional vegetation stages, roadsides can support high levels of biodiversity. However, current recommendations for roadside mana...

Authors: Simon Jakobsson, Claes Bernes, James M. Bullock, Kris Verheyen and Regina Lindborg

How have carbon stocks in central and southern Africa’s miombo woodlands changed over the last 50 years? A systematic map of the evidence

Miombo woodlands cover ≈ 2.7 million km² of central and southern Africa between dry (650 mm mean annual rainfall) and moist miombo (1400 mm) and are currently threatened by land use and land cover changes that ha...

Authors: Davison Gumbo, Jessica Clendenning, Christopher Martius, Kaala Moombe, Isla Grundy, Robert Nasi, Kondwani Y. Mumba, Natasha Ribeiro, Gillian Kabwe and Gillian Petrokofsky

To what extent do mesophotic coral ecosystems and shallow reefs share species of conservation interest? A systematic review

Globally, shallow-water coral reef biodiversity is at risk from a variety of threats, some of which may attenuate with depth. Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs), occurring from 30 to 40 m and deeper in tropica...

Authors: Jack H. Laverick, Shanice Piango, Dominic A. Andradi-Brown, Dan A. Exton, Pim Bongaerts, Tom C. L. Bridge, Michael P. Lesser, Richard L. Pyle, Marc Slattery, Daniel Wagner and Alex D. Rogers

The multifunctional roles of vegetated strips around and within agricultural fields

Agriculture can have substantial negative impacts on the environment. The establishment and management of vegetated strips adjacent to farmed fields (including various field margins, buffer strips and hedgerow...

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway, Colin Brown, Jacqui Eales, Sönke Eggers, Jonas Josefsson, Brian Kronvang, Nicola P. Randall and Jaana Uusi-Kämppä

Experiences and lessons in stakeholder engagement in environmental evidence synthesis: a truly special series

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway and Sally Crowe

Impacts of selected Ecological Focus Area options in European farmed landscapes on climate regulation and pollination services: a systematic map protocol

This systematic map protocol responds to an urgent policy need to evaluate key environmental benefits of new compulsory greening measures in the European Union’s Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), with the aim ...

Authors: S. Ottoy, V. Angileri, C. Gibert, M. L. Paracchini, P. Pointereau, J.-M. Terres, J. Van Orshoven, L. Vranken and L. V. Dicks

Manipulating ungulate herbivory in temperate and boreal forests: effects on vegetation and invertebrates. A systematic review

Livestock grazing and ‘overabundance’ of large wild herbivores in forested areas have long been perceived as conflicting with the aims of both silviculture and forest conservation; however, certain kinds of he...

Authors: Claes Bernes, Biljana Macura, Bengt Gunnar Jonsson, Kaisa Junninen, Jörg Müller, Jennie Sandström, Asko Lõhmus and Ellen Macdonald

What specific plant traits support ecosystem services such as pollination, bio-control and water quality protection in temperate climates? A systematic map

Agricultural intensification has contributed to increased diffuse source pollution within water catchments, reduced heterogeneity within the landscape and caused major declines in farmland wildlife. This decre...

Authors: Claire J. Cresswell, Heidi M. Cunningham, Andrew Wilcox and Nicola P. Randall

Correction to: Online tools supporting the conduct and reporting of systematic reviews and systematic maps: a case study on CADIMA and review of existing tools

The authors wish to update information about the software DistillerSR in Tables 1 and 3 which we were alerted to following the publication of this article. In addition to the analysis provided, DistillerSR doe...

Authors: Christian Kohl, Emma J. McIntosh, Stefan Unger, Neal R. Haddaway, Steffen Kecke, Joachim Schiemann and Ralf Wilhelm

What are the impacts of small-scale dredging activities on inland fisheries productivity? A systematic review protocol

Small-scale dredging activities in freshwater bodies have the potential to impact habitats and food resources that fishes depend on, and ultimately impact fisheries productivity. This systematic review will ex...

Authors: Belinda M. S. Ward-Campbell and Brent Valere

ROSES RepOrting standards for Systematic Evidence Syntheses: pro forma, flow-diagram and descriptive summary of the plan and conduct of environmental systematic reviews and systematic maps

Reliable synthesis of the various rapidly expanding bodies of evidence is vital for the process of evidence-informed decision-making in environmental policy, practice and research. With the rise of evidence-ba...

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway, Biljana Macura, Paul Whaley and Andrew S. Pullin

What are the effective solutions to control the dissemination of antibiotic resistance in the environment? A systematic review protocol

Antibiotic treatments are indispensable for human and animal health. However, the heavy usage of antibiotics has led to the emergence of resistance. Antibiotic residues, antibiotic-resistant bacteria and genes...

Authors: Anaïs Goulas, Barbara Livoreil, Nathalie Grall, Pierre Benoit, Céline Couderc-Obert, Christophe Dagot, Dominique Patureau, Fabienne Petit, Cédric Laouénan and Antoine Andremont

Rethinking communication: integrating storytelling for increased stakeholder engagement in environmental evidence synthesis

Storytelling is a two-way interaction, written or oral, between someone telling a story and one or more listeners. It is a well-known and powerful means of communicating messages and engaging audiences. In thi...

Authors: Anneli Sundin, Karolin Andersson and Robert Watt

Can linear transportation infrastructure verges constitute a habitat and/or a corridor for insects in temperate landscapes? A systematic review

The role of linear transportation infrastructures (roads, railways, oil and gas pipelines, power lines, rivers and canals) in fragmenting natural habitats is fully acknowledged. Up to now, the potential of lin...

Authors: Anne Villemey, Arzhvaël Jeusset, Marianne Vargac, Yves Bertheau, Aurélie Coulon, Julien Touroult, Sylvie Vanpeene, Bastien Castagneyrol, Hervé Jactel, Isabelle Witte, Nadine Deniaud, Frédérique Flamerie De Lachapelle, Emmanuel Jaslier, Véronique Roy, Eric Guinard, Eric Le Mitouard…

Online tools supporting the conduct and reporting of systematic reviews and systematic maps: a case study on CADIMA and review of existing tools

Systematic reviews and systematic maps represent powerful tools to identify, collect, evaluate and summarise primary research pertinent to a specific research question or topic in a highly standardised and rep...

Authors: Christian Kohl, Emma J. McIntosh, Stefan Unger, Neal R. Haddaway, Steffen Kecke, Joachim Schiemann and Ralf Wilhelm

What is the effect of phasing out long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances on the concentrations of perfluoroalkyl acids and their precursors in the environment? A systematic review

There is a concern that continued emissions of man-made per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) may cause environmental and human health effects. Now widespread in human populations and in the environment,...

Authors: Magnus Land, Cynthia A. de Wit, Anders Bignert, Ian T. Cousins, Dorte Herzke, Jana H. Johansson and Jonathan W. Martin

Inclusive development and prioritization of review questions in a highly controversial field of regulatory science

How to best assess potential health, environmental and other impacts of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and how to interpret the resulting evidence base have been long-standing controversial issues in th...

Authors: Armin Spök, Monica Racovita, Sandra Karner, Gloria Adduci, Greet Smets, Patrick Rüdelsheim, Christian Kohl, Ralf Wilhelm and Joachim Schiemann

What are the impacts on temperate fish productivity of shoreline works activities? A systematic review protocol

Shoreline works include any unnatural alteration or human intervention to coastal areas such as infilling, armouring, aquatic vegetation removal or planting, actions altering coastal processes, embayment creat...

Authors: Sommer Abdel-Fattah and Sarah Hasnain

How does tillage intensity affect soil organic carbon? A systematic review

The loss of carbon (C) from agricultural soils has been, in part, attributed to tillage, a common practice providing a number of benefits to farmers. The promotion of less intensive tillage practices and no ti...

Authors: Neal R. Haddaway, Katarina Hedlund, Louise E. Jackson, Thomas Kätterer, Emanuele Lugato, Ingrid K. Thomsen, Helene B. Jørgensen and Per-Erik Isberg

Assessing the global distribution of river fisheries harvest: a systematic map protocol

Although surface freshwater comprises < 0.01% of the total water volume of earth, freshwater inland capture fisheries and aquaculture represent 40% of the global reported finfish harvest. While the social, eco...

Authors: Chelsie L. Romulo, Zeenatul Basher, Abigail J. Lynch, Yu-Chun Kao and William W. Taylor

Transdisciplinary working to shape systematic reviews and interpret the findings: commentary

Important policy questions tend to span a range of academic disciplines, and the relevant research is often carried out in a variety of social, economic and geographic contexts. In efforts to synthesise resear...

Authors: Sandy Oliver, Paul Garner, Pete Heywood, Janet Jull, Kelly Dickson, Mukdarut Bangpan, Lynn Ang, Morel Fourman and Ruth Garside

Lessons for introducing stakeholders to environmental evidence synthesis

Involving stakeholders in systematic reviews is common practice and is advised in the Collaboration for Environmental Evidence (CEE) Guidelines (v.4.2). Frameworks for engaging stakeholders exist and should be...

Authors: Jessica J. Taylor, Trina Rytwinski, Joseph R. Bennett and Steven J. Cooke

A five-step approach for stakeholder engagement in prioritisation and planning of environmental evidence syntheses

Systematic reviews and systematic maps, regarded as a gold standard for syntheses of documented research evidence, are increasingly used to inform decisions in environmental management. To increase their relev...

Authors: Magnus Land, Biljana Macura, Claes Bernes and Sif Johansson

How are biodiversity and dispersal of species affected by the management of roadsides? A systematic map

In many parts of the world, roadsides are regularly managed for traffic-safety reasons. Hence, there are similarities between roadsides and certain other managed habitats, such as wooded pastures and mown or g...

Authors: Claes Bernes, James M. Bullock, Simon Jakobsson, Maj Rundlöf, Kris Verheyen and Regina Lindborg