Conservation Science and Practice (Mar 2023)
Understanding conflict among experts working on controversial species: A case study on the Australian dingo
- Valerio Donfrancesco,
- Benjamin L. Allen,
- Rob Appleby,
- Linda Behrendorff,
- Gabriel Conroy,
- Mathew S. Crowther,
- Christopher R. Dickman,
- Tim Doherty,
- Bronwyn A. Fancourt,
- Christopher E. Gordon,
- Stephen M. Jackson,
- Chris N. Johnson,
- Malcolm S. Kennedy,
- Loukas Koungoulos,
- Mike Letnic,
- Luke K.‐P. Leung,
- Kieren J. Mitchell,
- Bradley Nesbitt,
- Thomas Newsome,
- Carlo Pacioni,
- Justine Phillip,
- Brad V. Purcell,
- Euan G. Ritchie,
- Bradley P. Smith,
- Danielle Stephens,
- Jack Tatler,
- Lily M. vanEeden,
- Kylie M. Cairns
Affiliations
- Valerio Donfrancesco
- Department of Geography University of Cambridge Cambridge UK
- Benjamin L. Allen
- University of Southern Queensland Institute for Life Sciences and the Environment Toowoomba Queensland Australia
- Rob Appleby
- Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security Griffith University Nathan Queensland Australia
- Linda Behrendorff
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences University of Queensland Gatton Queensland Australia
- Gabriel Conroy
- Genecology Research Centre, School of Science, Technology and Engineering University of the Sunshine Coast Maroochydore DC Queensland Australia
- Mathew S. Crowther
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Christopher R. Dickman
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Tim Doherty
- Desert Ecology Research Group, School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Bronwyn A. Fancourt
- Ecosystem Management, School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
- Christopher E. Gordon
- Center for Biodiversity Dynamics in a Changing World Aarhus University Aarhus C Denmark
- Stephen M. Jackson
- Collection Care and Conservation Australian Museum Research Institute Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Chris N. Johnson
- School of Natural Sciences and Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage University of Tasmania Hobart Tasmania Australia
- Malcolm S. Kennedy
- Threatened Species Operations Department of Environment and Science Brisbane Queensland Australia
- Loukas Koungoulos
- Department of Archaeology, School of Philosophical and Historical Inquiry The University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Mike Letnic
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Luke K.‐P. Leung
- School of Agriculture and Food Sciences University of Queensland Gatton Queensland Australia
- Kieren J. Mitchell
- Australian Research Council Centre of Excellence for Australian Biodiversity and Heritage, School of Biological Sciences University of Adelaide Adelaide South Australia Australia
- Bradley Nesbitt
- School of Environmental and Rural Science University of New England Armidale New South Wales Australia
- Thomas Newsome
- Global Ecology Lab, School of Life and Environmental Sciences University of Sydney Sydney New South Wales Australia
- Carlo Pacioni
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute Heidelberg Victoria Australia
- Justine Phillip
- Independent researcher Le Moulin Neuf Pont Melvez France
- Brad V. Purcell
- Kangaroo Management Program Office of Environment and Heritage Dubbo New South Wales Australia
- Euan G. Ritchie
- School of Life and Environmental Sciences and Centre for Integrative Ecology Deakin University Burwood Victoria Australia
- Bradley P. Smith
- College of Psychology, School of Health, Medical and Applied Sciences CQUniversity Australia Wayville South Australia Australia
- Danielle Stephens
- Zoological Genetics Inglewood South Australia Australia
- Jack Tatler
- Narla Environmental Pty Ltd Warriewood New South Wales Australia
- Lily M. vanEeden
- Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning Arthur Rylah Institute Heidelberg Victoria Australia
- Kylie M. Cairns
- Centre for Ecosystem Science, School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences University of New South Wales Sydney New South Wales Australia
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1111/csp2.12900
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 5,
no. 3
pp. n/a – n/a
Abstract
Abstract Expert elicitation can be valuable for informing decision‐makers on conservation and wildlife management issues. To date, studies eliciting expert opinions have primarily focused on identifying and building consensus on key issues. Nonetheless, there are drawbacks of a strict focus on consensus, and it is important to understand and emphasize dissent, too. This study adopts a dissensus‐based Delphi to understand conflict among dingo experts. Twenty‐eight experts participated in three rounds of investigation. We highlight disagreement on most of the issues explored. In particular, we find that disagreement is underpinned by what we call “conflict over values” and “conflict over evidence.” We also note the broader role played by distrust in influencing such conflicts. Understanding and recognizing the different elements shaping disagreement is critical for informing and improving decision‐making and can also enable critique of dominant paradigms in current practices. We encourage greater reflexivity and open deliberation on these aspects and hope our study will inform similar investigations in other contexts.
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