對于生態(tài)學(xué)家而言,，要建立有說服力的概念和規(guī)則，則需要跨地域,、跨學(xué)科的交叉研究,。南非和英國科學(xué)家近日分析了研究者的選擇性來評估其潛在的偏愛,，探討社會利益如何影響研究者選擇研究對象（生物體）,，特別是通過對科學(xué)文獻中和因特網(wǎng)上相對有代表性研究物種進行比較,。生物種類、保護情況,、地理位置和經(jīng)濟利益可能會影響研究者選擇何種生物進行研究,，潛在的社會偏見對研究客體的選擇有一定的影響,。盡管通常情況下科學(xué)文獻和網(wǎng)上搜索結(jié)果呈現(xiàn)正相關(guān)關(guān)系，但是拋開這個普遍的規(guī)律,，與社會偏好相比較,，生物學(xué)研究課題的選擇反映了社會利益,?？蒲谐晒壬鐣嫠坪醺资芙?jīng)濟和實際問題影響，而較少受地理障礙與社會政治障礙的影響,。
雖然各種生物研究反映了社會需要,，但是還存在著諸多類別和地域上的差距。有些生物群體和有些地區(qū)顯然比其他群體和其他地區(qū)更受關(guān)注。生態(tài)學(xué)家對某個群體開展深入認識的進程是否成功還有待評價,。如果生態(tài)學(xué)家要完善概念,，則需要拓寬研究領(lǐng)域,，也許更應(yīng)該把重點放在填補分類上的空白。
相關(guān)論文發(fā)表在《生態(tài)與環(huán)境科學(xué)前沿》（Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment）上。（科學(xué)新聞雜志 康嘉/編譯）。
生物谷推薦原始出處：
Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment,，Volume 5, Issue 8,，pp. 409–414,，John RU Wilson,，David M Richardson
The (bio)diversity of science reflects the interests of society
John RU Wilson1,*, erban Proche1, Brigitte Braschler2,1, Edd S Dixon1, and David M Richardson1
For ecologists to develop robust generalizations and principles, a broad taxonomic and geographic spread of research is required, but, in practice, most generalizations are based on the research of individual scientists and groups, and their choice of study organism is affected by many different factors. We analyzed researchers' choice to assess potential biases. In particular, by comparing the relative representation of species in the scientific literature and on the Internet, we explored how the choice of study organism is influenced by societal interests. While there is a strong positive correlation between output in the scientific literature and on the web, deviations from this general pattern suggest that, when compared with societal biases, research agendas are more directly influenced by economic priorities and practical limitations, and less by geographical and sociopolitical barriers. Although the range of biological research reflects the needs of society, there are still large taxonomic and geographic gaps. By focusing on specific groups, we are developing an in-depth knowledge of certain taxa, but if ecologists are to develop generalizations, we may need to widen our research scope.
