Knowledge gaps and biases in the Pantanal indicate future directions for ornithological research in large wetlands

Ornithological research in the Pantanal, one of the world's largest wetlands, reveals significant spatial, temporal, taxonomic, and biological response biases that hinder comprehensive bird conservation efforts. Studies overwhelmingly focus on the Brazilian Pantanal, neglecting Bolivia, and concentrate near urban centers while overlooking central regions. Temporal bias favors the dry season, potentially undermining migration studies. Certain bird families, such as Jacanidae, are overrepresented, whereas Tyrannidae is understudied, with a notable lack of research on threatened species. Behavioral, abundance, and reproduction studies dominate, leaving ecological processes like interspecific interactions under-explored. These gaps provide a roadmap for future research in the Pantanal and other global wetlands, emphasizing the need to address under-sampled regions and species, particularly in low-income countries with limited research capacity.

Fernández‐Arellano, G. J., Teixido, A. L., Bernardon, B., Bueno, E. R., Ferreira, T. V., Gonçalves, S. R. A., Jesus, M., Thomas, K. P. C. S., Zucchetto, M., Piacentini, V. Q., & Pinho, J. B. (2021). Knowledge gaps and biases in the Pantanal indicate future directions for ornithological research in large wetlands. Ibis, 163(3), 784–797. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1111/ibi.12931