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Biases in Amphibian Sampling in the Amazon: Using Infrastructure and
Accessibility Data to Identify Sampling Gaps
Abstract
Biogeographic knowledge of Amazonian amphibians presents significant
challenges in spatial and temporal coverage, as well as in the taxonomic
refinement of their diversity. Despite recent advances, the spatial
distribution of sampling and detailed taxonomic knowledge remain
limited, potentially causing biases in our understanding of their
diversity and distribution. In this study, we conducted a large-scale
analysis using an extensive database with 951 species and 213,072
georeferenced occurrence records, distributed across 24,319 sampling
points in the Amazon. This analysis aimed to elucidate potential drivers
of sampling biases for Amazonian amphibians in the presence of
infrastructure factors (cities, hydroelectric dams, and transmission
lines) and accessibility (navigable rivers and roads). Among
accessibility factors, we found that rivers were the main facilitators
in amphibian sampling. On the other hand, roads did not exert a strong
influence as expected, due to the late and limited development of land
transportation in the region, which has historically been dominated by
river transportation. Among the infrastructure factors, both cities and
hydroelectric plants had a moderate influence on sampling. The reason
for this is that most cities in the Amazon region were established a few
decades ago and have limited infrastructure, especially considering the
presence of consolidated research centers. Hydroelectric plants have
generated extensive databases due to environmental legislation
requirements for their installation, but restricted access to
information from these reports limited their use in this study. We
conclude that Amazonian amphibian sampling exhibits significant
geographic bias, attributable to the uneven distribution of research
efforts caused by logistical challenges, including accessibility and
infrastructure limitations. Overcoming these obstacles requires
coordinated efforts between researchers and decision-makers, as well as
investment in research infrastructure and data dissemination
initiatives, not only for amphibians, but for all biodiversity in the
face of increasing deforestation and climate change.