Re: [ECOLOG-L] Scientists urged not to publish locations of endangered species

[Malcolm McCallum]

The journal Herpetological Conservation and Biology has, since its
inception, provided for authors to upload location data in a locked file.
This file can only be accessed by people with a legit reason for
downloading it, and permission must be obtained from the authors or if
deceases, the editor of HCB.  We did this for the very reason outlined in
this article.  it was a way to ensure location data was available for legit
uses while protecting the locations from poachers and the like.
I believe this is a more scientifically sound approach because it ensures
studies can be replicated and that the study is actually real.  Lets face
it, some dishonest person could claim facts without evidence if the data is
not available.
Although their heart may be in the right place, if the data is not attached
to the publication in some fashion, it is largely undependable.  In fact,
the NPS requires datapoints be collected with 99% CI on locations because
of the questions involved with replicability.  At least they did when I
last did field studies with them. Scientists are not immune to bias or
dishonesty.  Many are, but it only takes one Conservation Scientist who
falsifies locations to soil our entire pot.  Location data is very
important for QA/QC and validation.  Simply dropping data in a museum or
agency is potentially LESS protected from ill-doers and potentially less
accessible for legit users than a locked file with permissions.  Files can
be held inside the deep web portion of the journal, protecting it from
access by outsiders.  However, data placed in museum collections or
libraries are seriously at risk.  University Museums across the country
have suffered serious cuts and often closure.  Then, consolidation or
adoption by other entities.  Often, they go untended for years as posts are
left vacant.  I personally recommend that every paper should have locked
files AND the data be deposited in a secure collection environment.  The
locations of these data should be indicated ini the actual paper so that a
paper trail to find them if required for legit purposes arises.
Results without the full story are seriously susceptible to corruption
within the discipline, but they are also subject to ridicule or discounting
in a courtroom where such data can be deemed mandatory to pursue actions.
Simply keeping it in a scientist's lab is not sufficient to protect future
needs, demands, or crises.  These data MUST be in multiple secure
locations, and all manuscripts should without exception include locked
documents that can be accessed following appropriate protective channels.

Malcolm L. McCallum

On Mon, Jun 12, 2017 at 11:59 AM, Erik Hoffner 
wrote:

> Interesting, in case you missed it in Science a couple weeks ago:
>
> http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/endangered-
> species-scientists-urged-not-publish-location-poachers-
> find-hunt-kill-animals-chinese-a7763156.html
>
> “Our research permits demand that location records be uploaded to
> open-access government wildlife atlases. Soon after uploading records,
> people seeking the rare worm-lizard were caught trespassing, upsetting
> farmers, damaging important rocky outcrop habitats, and jeopardising
> scientist-farmer relationships that have taken years to establish. The
> scientists have called on others to follow the lead of publications such as
> Zootaxa, which will publish taxonomic descriptions of new species but
> without any location information."
>
> Mongabay published a nice interview about this issue a few years ago:
> https://news.mongabay.com/2011/12/the-dark-side-of-new-species-discovery/
> ...good to see some scientists making more noise about this.
>
> Erik
>
> --
>
> See my latest writing and photojournalism projects here
> 
>
> *tw: @erikhoffner *
>



-- 
Malcolm L. McCallum
Aquaculture and Water Quality Research Scientist
School of Agriculture and Applied Sciences
Langston University
Langston, Oklahoma


Link to online CV and portfolio :
https://www.visualcv.com/malcolm-mc-callum?access=18A9RYkDGxO
Google Scholar citation page:
https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=lOHMjvYJ=en
Academia.edu:
https://ui-springfield.academia.edu/MalcolmMcCallum/Analytics#/activity/overview?_k=wknchj
Researchgate:
 https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Malcolm_Mccallum/reputation?ev=prf_rep_tab

Ratemyprofessor: http://www.ratemyprofessors.com/ShowRatings.jsp?tid=706874

*Confidentiality Notice:* This e-mail message, including any attachments,
is for the sole use of the intended recipient(s) and may contain
confidential and privileged information.  Any unauthorized
review, use, disclosure or distribution is prohibited.  If you are not the
intended recipient, please contact the sender by reply e-mail and destroy
all copies of the original message.

“*Nothing is more priceless and worthy of 

[ECOLOG-L] Scientists urged not to publish locations of endangered species

[Erik Hoffner]

Interesting, in case you missed it in Science a couple weeks ago:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/endangered-species-scientists-urged-not-publish-location-poachers-find-hunt-kill-animals-chinese-a7763156.html

“Our research permits demand that location records be uploaded to
open-access government wildlife atlases. Soon after uploading records,
people seeking the rare worm-lizard were caught trespassing, upsetting
farmers, damaging important rocky outcrop habitats, and jeopardising
scientist-farmer relationships that have taken years to establish. The
scientists have called on others to follow the lead of publications such as
Zootaxa, which will publish taxonomic descriptions of new species but
without any location information."

Mongabay published a nice interview about this issue a few years ago:
https://news.mongabay.com/2011/12/the-dark-side-of-new-species-discovery/
...good to see some scientists making more noise about this.

Erik

--

See my latest writing and photojournalism projects here


*tw: @erikhoffner *