Open AccessPathogen Incursions – Integrating Technical Expertise in a Socio-Political Context
Author(s) -
Katherine Evans,
Jason B. Scott,
KM Barry
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
plant disease
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.663
H-Index - 108
eISSN - 1943-7692
pISSN - 0191-2917
DOI - 10.1094/pdis-04-20-0812-fe
Subject(s) - biosecurity , context (archaeology) , stakeholder , biology , empathy , data science , environmental resource management , knowledge management , public relations , ecology , political science , computer science , psychology , paleontology , environmental science , psychiatry
The incursion of a plant pathogen into a new geographic area initiates a series of decisions about appropriate control or eradication efforts. Incomplete, erroneous, and/or selective information may be used by diverse stakeholders to support individual goals and positions on how an incursion should be managed. We discuss the complex social, political, and technical factors that shape a biosecurity response prior to reviewing information needs and common stakeholder misunderstandings. Selected examples focus on the rust fungi (order Pucciniales). We then explore how plant pathologists, as technical experts, can interact with biosecurity stakeholders to build empathy and understanding that in turn allows a shift from being a distant subject matter expert to an active participant helping to structure problems and shape knowledge flows for better outcomes.