Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40374523›Full record

ArticleConservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology2025

Language barriers in conservation science citation networks.

Kelsey Hannah, Richard A Fuller, Rebecca K Smith, William J Sutherland, Tatsuya Amano

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
4citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

4 citing papers in PubMed.

  1. Article
  2. Article
  3. Article
  4. Language barriers in conservation science citation networks.Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology · 2025
    Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Kelsey HannahSchool of The Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID 0000-0002-3223-9433
Richard A FullerSchool of The Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-9468-9678
Rebecca K SmithDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.
William J SutherlandDepartment of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, UK.ORCID 0000-0002-6498-0437
Tatsuya AmanoSchool of The Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia.ORCID 0000-0001-6576-3410

Funding

Australian Research Council Future FellowshipThe University of Queensland Research Training Program Scholarship
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Using relevant scientific evidence is crucial to effectively conserve species and ecosystems worldwide. Currently, evidence that is available only in non-English languages is severely underutilized. We examined many underutilized non-English languages in the conservation evidence literature and factors that facilitate the use of non-English-language evidence based on citation patterns of articles testing the effectiveness of conservation actions published in English and 15 non-English languages. Multivariate models incorporated explanatory variables, such as lexical distance from English, availability of an English abstract, study design complexity, conservation status of studied species, and language of citing articles. Non-English-language articles received significantly fewer English citations (i.e., citations in English-language articles) than English-language articles. Hungarian, Polish, Korean, and Russian articles were particularly undercited in English. Despite fewer English citations, many non-English-language articles had high citation rates in their own languages, indicating their value in local conservation communities. Non-English-language articles with English abstracts received more English citations. The content of the article, such as a more robust study design or assessment of threatened species, was not significantly associated with the number of English citations received. Our findings highlight the importance of increasing the visibility and recognition of non-English-language articles, especially those in currently underutilized languages, for a more comprehensive understanding of global conservation challenges. Providing a translated English abstract has the potential to increase readership of an article by increasing the accessibility to those who can understand English.

Indexed as

BibliometricsCommunication BarriersConservation of Natural ResourcesLanguagecitation patternsconservation scienceevidence‐based conservationevidence synthesislanguage barrierslanguage biasmetasciencenon‐English‐language literature

Identifiers

PMID40374523
PMCPMC12451481

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY-NC
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.