Overcoming barriers that limit the impact of ecological research

Ecology and conservation researchers have diverse goals that often include both personal career aspirations and desires to enhance the well-being of the natural world and its inhabitants. Perception of ecological research by ecologists typically involves a triad—linking goals, research, and impact. Yet the realities of scientific practice are substantially more complicated due to numerous constraints that limit the ability of researchers to conduct ecological research and to have a genuine impact. Many of these barriers can be mitigated, leading to more effective contributions to society and biodiversity conservation. Here, we outline frequently encountered constraints in ecological research institutions and, by drawing upon many practices used internationally, we identify feasible mitigations and highlight examples of negative consequences that can occur in the absence of effective mitigation strategies. Finally, we propose changes to aspects of the culture and reward systems that would allow ecological research as a discipline to more effectively achieve societal, environmental, and personal goals.