Unanswered Questions
This note collects examples and approaches to highlighting unanswered or important questions in a discipline.
Cf.
- Manifesto
- roadman
- horizon scan
Methods
Reynolds, Sam A., Sara Beery, Neil Burgess, Mark Burgman, Stuart H. M. Butchart, Steven J. Cooke, David Coomes, et al. 2025. “The Potential for AI to Revolutionize Conservation: A Horizon Scan.” Trends in Ecology & Evolution 40 (2): 191–207. https://doi.org/10/g9mwsb.
Wintle, Bonnie C., Christian R. Boehm, Catherine Rhodes, Jennifer C Molloy, Piers Millett, Laura Adam, Rainer Breitling, et al. 2017. “A Transatlantic Perspective on 20 Emerging Issues in Biological Engineering.” eLife 6. https://doi.org/10/cgkb.
Sutherland, William J., Erica Fleishman, Michael B. Mascia, Jules Pretty, and Murray A. Rudd. 2011. “Methods for Collaboratively Identifying Research Priorities and Emerging Issues in Science and Policy.” Methods in Ecology and Evolution 2 (3): 238–47. https://doi.org/10/djz935.
This looks suitable for more-than-human approaches that particularly suffer from biases.
Garnett, Kenisha, Felicity A. Lickorish, Sophie A. Rocks, Gabriel Prpich, Anita A. Rathe, and Simon J. T. Pollard. 2016. “Integrating Horizon Scanning and Strategic Risk Prioritisation Using a Weight of Evidence Framework to Inform Policy Decisions.” Science of The Total Environment 560–561:82–91. https://doi.org/10/gmwgq8.
Hines, Philip, Li Hiu Yu, Richard H. Guy, Angela Brand, and Marisa Papaluca-Amati. 2019. “Scanning the Horizon: A Systematic Literature Review of Methodologies.” BMJ Open 9 (5): 1–9. https://doi.org/10/ghq4zx.
In Article Form
Aronson, Myla F. J., Christopher A. Lepczyk, Karl L. Evans, M. A. Goddard, Susannah B. Lerman, J. Scott MacIvor, Charles H. Nilon, and Timothy Vargo. “Biodiversity in the City: Key Challenges for Urban Green Space Management.” Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment 15, no. 4 (2017): 189–96. https://doi.org/10/f96prt.
Coleman, Jennifer L., John S. Ascher, David Bickford, Damayanti Buchori, Annadel Cabanban, Robert A. Chisholm, Keng Yih Chong, et al. “Top 100 Research Questions for Biodiversity Conservation in Southeast Asia.” Biological Conservation 234 (2019): 211–20. https://doi.org/10/gh5hhb.
Csákvári, Edina, Veronika Fabók, Sándor Bartha, Zoltán Barta, Péter Batáry, Gábor Borics, Zoltán Botta-Dukát, et al. “Conservation Biology Research Priorities for 2050: A Central-Eastern European Perspective.” Biological Conservation 264 (2021): 109396. https://doi.org/10/gnn4fx.
Guswa, Andrew J., Doerthe Tetzlaff, John S. Selker, Darryl E. Carlyle-Moses, Elizabeth W. Boyer, Michael Bruen, Carles Cayuela, et al. “Advancing Ecohydrology in the 21st Century: A Convergence of Opportunities.” Ecohydrology 13, no. 4 (2020): e2208. https://doi.org/10/gg2c8p.
Hölker, Franz, Janine Bolliger, Thomas W. Davies, Simone Giavi, Andreas Jechow, Gregor Kalinkat, Travis Longcore, et al. “11 Pressing Research Questions on How Light Pollution Affects Biodiversity.” Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 9 (2021): 767177. https://doi.org/10/gp3dkq.
Kull, Kalevi, Claus Emmeche, and Donald Favareau. “Biosemiotic Questions.” Biosemiotics 1, no. 1 (2008): 41–55. https://doi.org/10/c836qr.
Lennox, Robert J., Craig P. Paukert, Kim Aarestrup, Marie Auger-Méthé, Lee Baumgartner, Kim Birnie-Gauvin, Kristin Bøe, et al. “One Hundred Pressing Questions on the Future of Global Fish Migration Science, Conservation, and Policy.” Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution 7 (2019). https://doi.org/10/ggdkx6.
Lepczyk, Christopher A., Myla F. J. Aronson, Karl L. Evans, Mark A. Goddard, Susannah B. Lerman, and J. Scott MacIvor. “Biodiversity in the City: Fundamental Questions for Understanding the Ecology of Urban Green Spaces for Biodiversity Conservation.” BioScience 67, no. 9 (2017): 799–807. https://doi.org/10/gbxbvq.
Mammola, Stefano, Isabel R. Amorim, Maria E. Bichuette, Paulo A. V. Borges, Naowarat Cheeptham, Steven J. B. Cooper, David C. Culver, et al. “Fundamental Research Questions in Subterranean Biology.” Biological Reviews 95, no. 6 (2020): 1855–72. https://doi.org/10/gkkv26.
McCormack, Jon, Oliver Bown, Alan Dorin, Jonathan McCabe, Gordon Monro, and Mitchell Whitelaw. “Ten Questions Concerning Generative Computer Art.” Leonardo 47, no. 2 (2014): 135–41. https://doi.org/10/gfvsrp.
Ockendon, Nancy, David H. L. Thomas, Jordi Cortina, William M. Adams, Toby Aykroyd, Boris Barov, Luigi Boitani, et al. “One Hundred Priority Questions for Landscape Restoration in Europe.” Biological Conservation 221 (2018): 198–208. https://doi.org/10/gdkq9n.
Schmidt, Jeremy, Peter Brown, and Christopher Orr. “Ethics in the Anthropocene: A Research Agenda.” The Anthropocene Review 3, no. 3 (2016): 188–200. https://doi.org/10/gfsp7p.
Sutherland, William J., Robert P. Freckleton, H. Charles J. Godfray, Steven R. Beissinger, Tim Benton, Duncan D. Cameron, Yohay Carmel, et al. “Identification of 100 Fundamental Ecological Questions.” Journal of Ecology 101, no. 1 (2013): 58–67. https://doi.org/10/f232cw.
In Book Form
Davies, Margaret. Asking the Law Question. 4th ed. 1994. Reprint, Sydney: Lawbook Co, 2017.
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