3.6 Evaluation of information
- The evaluation of information and data received and stored can be conducted at various levels.
- Evaluation opportunities at the lower level involve the following:
(i) Judging and checking incoming completed MPTS data sheets for their information value, the taxonomic nomenclature and on logic and authenticity of their contents;
(ii) Numerical assessment of accessions in terms of geographic or ecozonal coverage, exposing regions or ecozones for which only a few or no completed MPTS data sheets have been received. Similarly any other subject-related, sub-standard information coverage can be exposed and such shortcomings be eliminated by directing further information coll- ections accordingly.
Examples of evaluation opportunities of a higher level are the following:
(i) Screening the data base for economic (yield) data reported for in- dividual species. A corresponding evaluation carried out in 1985 revealed that only 16% of the incidents of production uses reported were accompanied by yield data.
- In most cases these quantitative data are incomparable as no circumstantial descriptions were given as to how they had been obtained [6].
- As a consequence, the terms of reference for data-collection missions were amended, placing particular emphasis on the importance of yield data and providing standards for explanatory notes which are to accompany the yield data.
(ii) The preference of certain products or services from individual species, as evidenced by "rank of importance of use" (see MPTS data sheets, Appendix 1), reflects their socio-economic or ecological value in certain locations or areas.
- Repeated high ranking of certain uses associated with specific species in a wider geographic range or a specific ecozone can serve as an aid to priority species selection [9].
- Information from site-specific data collections and that obtained from the literature can be evaluated (and retrieved) separately as it is coded differently.