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Published online 12 December 2008 | Nature | doi:10.1038/news.2008.1304
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Surveys of flora and fauna may be flawed
Bat study raises doubts over our understanding of Earth's ecosystems.
One of the most common techniques for diagnosing the ecological health of a region may be painting an inaccurate picture of biodiversity, a study of the bats on the tiny volcanic island of Montserrat suggests.
To understand an area's ecology, researchers are often asked by funding agencies to conduct a short survey, known as a rapid biodiversity assessment.
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