Global biodiversity losses continue despite tremendous growth in the volume of conservation science and many local successes. Research that can achieve conservation science's aims—arresting declines in biodiversity and preventing extinctions—is therefore of ever greater importance. Here, we ask whether conservation science, as currently performed, is progressing in such a way as to maximize its impact. We present a simple framework for how effective conservation research could progress, from identifying problems to diagnosing their proximate and ultimate causes, and from proposing, to designing, implementing, and testing responses. We then demonstrate that for three well‐known examples—South Asian vultures, whooping cranes, and bycatch of procellariform seabirds—published studies appear to follow this sequence, with considerable benefits. However, for a representative sample of the wider conservation literature, we find no evidence of such a progression. Instead, the vast majority of papers remain focused on describing the state of nature or on mechanisms directly causing changes, with very little research on designing or implementing conservation responses. This lack of research on the sorts of questions that might most help conservation science deliver its stated mission strongly suggests we will struggle to translate the huge increase in research activity into real‐world benefits.

中文翻译：

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保护科学在保护生物多样性方面的过去和未来作用

尽管保护科学的数量有了巨大的增长，并且在当地取得了许多成功，但全球生物多样性的损失仍在继续。因此，能够实现保护科学目的（阻止生物多样性下降和防止灭绝）的研究变得越来越重要。在这里，我们要问的是，目前进行的保护科学是否正在以使其影响最大化的方式发展。我们提供了一个简单的框架，用于说明如何进行有效的保护研究，从发现问题到诊断问题的近因和最终原因，从提议到设计，实施和测试响应。然后，我们证明，对于三个著名的例子（南亚秃鹰，鸣鹤和副渔获物）而言，已发表的研究似乎遵循了这一顺序，并具有可观的收益。但是，对于更广泛的保护文献的代表性样本，我们没有发现这种进展的证据。取而代之的是，绝大多数论文仍然专注于描述自然状态或直接导致变化的机制，而很少研究设计或实施保护措施。缺乏对可能最有助于保护科学实现其既定使命的各种问题的研究，强烈表明我们将努力将研究活动的巨大增长转化为现实利益。很少有关于设计或实施保护对策的研究。缺乏对可能最有助于保护科学实现其既定使命的各种问题的研究，强烈表明我们将努力将研究活动的巨大增长转化为现实利益。很少有关于设计或实施保护对策的研究。缺乏对可能最有助于保护科学实现其既定使命的各种问题的研究，强烈表明我们将努力将研究活动的巨大增长转化为现实利益。