Human bias and the biodiversity knowledge base: An examination of the published literature on vertebrates

摘要: Abstract A thorough and accurate understanding of biodiversity can come only from objective inquiry. Libraries provide the foundation for academic research institutions. Holdings generally reflect state knowledge but they also reveal information gaps or anthropocentric bias. To determine if taxonomic bias exists in published literature, I reviewed holdings Canadian university libraries global sources compared them with relative species richness vertebrate classes. Proportionately, are significantly different than ranked vertebrates. Publications on endothermic vertebrates (birds, mammals) vastly over-represented, while those ectothermic (especially amphibians reptiles) drastically under-represented. The consistent idea that humans more interested similar dissimilar organisms economically important species, a strong acad...