RT Journal Article
T1 Botanical databases in EIA: opportunities and challenges
A1 Enríquez de Salamanca, Álvaro
AB Botanical databases are useful in environmental impact assessment (EIA), but they present significant concerns. These databases compile botanical literature, digitized herbaria and citizen science data, offering extensive data but varying in quality and precision. Scientific databases, though reliable in identification, often suffer from location inaccuracies, and new data entry is limited. Conversely, citizen science databases provide well-located records with a constant input of new data, but identification accuracy is inconsistent, particularly in complex species; AI-assisted plant identifications, frequently used, currently pose many reliability issues. Global databases aggregate data from multiple sources, combining accuracy concerns; while the quantity of data constantly increasing the quality control is insufficient. Limitations related to positional, attribute or temporal accuracy, or to data set completeness, may compromise decision-making. Other concerns include automatic mapping and GIS integration, which can obscure data inaccuracies. Recommendations for improving database quality include stricter data validation, excluding low-quality citizen science records, and ensuring that AI machine learning involves expert oversight. For EIA practitioners, critical assessment of data, especially regarding threatened species, is essential to avoid erroneous conclusions and ensure reliable decision-making.
PB Taylor & Francis
SN 1461-5517
YR 2025
FD 2025-03-21
LK https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124911
UL https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14352/124911
LA eng
NO Enríquez de Salamanca Á. 2025. Botanical databases in EIA: opportunities and challenges. Impact Assessment and Project Appraisal 43(3): 302-312. https://doi.org/10.1080/14615517.2025.2482137
DS Docta Complutense
RD 18 mar 2026