Mapping the missing: assessing amphibian sampling completeness and overlap with global protected areas

The aim of the study was to assess amphibian sampling completeness and the
overlap of sampling completeness categories with natural protected areas
(NPAs) and key biodiversity areas (KBAs) at global scale. We evaluated
amphibian sampling completeness across six of the earth's eight
biogeographic realms to identify well‐sampled, under‐sampled, and data‐gap
areas in the context of global amphibian distribution. Additionally, we
examined the spatial overlap of each sampling category with NPAs and KBAs.
The Nearctic and Australasian realms had the highest number of records and
well‐sampled areas. Significant data gaps were identified, particularly in
the Afrotropical, Indo‐Malayan, Neotropical, and Palearctic realms. We
found low levels of spatial match (< 35%) between classified areas
and NPAs/KBAs. Amphibian distribution data are largely incomplete, with
the most extensive gaps in the most species‐rich realms: Neotropic,
Indo‐Malayan, and Afrotropical. The low overlap between under‐sampled and
data‐gap areas with NPAs and KBAs suggests that these regions, critical
for amphibian diversity, are insufficiently represented within established
conservation priorities. Given the urgent threats to biodiversity from
global change, rapid responses are essential to enhance our understanding
of species distributions and community structures in amphibians. This
study provides spatial insights to help identify key data‐gap areas for
amphibian research and conservation prioritization.