Much remains unknown about the diversity of life on Earth. Promoting biodiversity research is an important component of its preservation. Up-to-date quantitative and qualitative data lay a foundation to all types of activities involved in the conservation of biodiversity. Biodiversity inventories should be a priority for all countries. Similarly, long-term, site-specific, multidisciplinary research on the links among biodiversity, sustainable economic development and conservation is important. Rapid ecological assessments are a fast way to gather information about the biodiversity of an area. Research should include a balance between basic and applied research. Included in all this should be improving skills and institutional capacity, and an awareness of the rights of the local people and the responsibilities of researchers.

Studying biodiversity means documenting its composition, distribution, structure, and function. Integral to this is understanding the roles and functions of genes, species, and ecosystems, and the complex links between modified and natural systems. Systematics, the description and classification of species, is fundamental for our understanding of biological diversity. Identification of a particular species provides the basis into further research and for management of that species. Systematics collections are maintained by many countries, and are used to support a variety of pure and applied studies. Systematics collections can aid in identifying a species and determining if a specimen is actually a new species, as well as providing an inventory of biodiversity.

Some of the key biodiversity research topics include

• Inventory of genetic, species, and ecosystem diversity. Estimation of how fast biological diversity is changing and how change will affect community structure and ecosystem processes.
• Determination the consequences of anthropogenic and other environmental changes and on the evolution of species.
• Research on rare and endangered species in order to develop the scientific information needed to sustain populations and stop their decline.
• Expanded research into systematics in order to develop a stable nomenclature, and to enhance the ability to use inferential techniques to mobilize biodiversity’s benefits.
• Determining patterns and indicators of ecological responses to stress in order to develop techniques to assess the status of ecological systems, to assess and forecast stress, and to monitor the recovery of damaged ecosystems.
• Investigating potential impacts of climate change on ecological systems and exploring means of mitigating damages.
• Developing and testing principles of restoration ecology.
• Improving and expanding on techniques for monitoring biological diversity and ecological processes.
• Intensifying research into population ecology.
• Determining impacts of changes in land use patterns and the uses of water resources on species diversity and ecological processes.
• Screening species for their potential value for humanity, such as medicinal plants etc.
• Long term ecological research at selected sites in order to advance understanding of ecosystem composition, structure and function.
• Systemizing and using the knowledge of local populations about biological diversity and sustainable management.
• Modern assimilation of biological diversity through new technologies and their relationship with ethnobiology. Research into biotechnology and exploiting biological diversity through new technologies.

Data gathering is a tool for decision making. Data gathering and research provide the basis for developing national, regional and international strategies, plans and programs for the conservation and sustainable use of biological diversity. Long-term studies are needed in order to develop a full understanding regionally of the composition, structure and functioning of ecosystems. Long term studies also lend themselves to monitoring ecosystems and tracking changes in the health, species composition, and functioning of those ecosystems.

The specification and design of databases required to store and process biodiversity data will have to be considered according to each country’s needs, priorities and existing information management capabilities. The most effective way to handle spatial and spatially-related data is in a relational database linked to a Geographic Information System (GIS), capable of producing maps incorporating layers of data from the databases. A GIS is a powerful tool with extensive spatial data analysis capabilities that can reinforce the process of national and regional biodiversity conservation and policy-making, and long-term integrated resource management.