data deficient

[dey-tuh di-fish-uhnt, dat-uh, dah-tuh]

adjective

Biology, Ecology.

1. (of a plant or animal species) lacking a properly assessed conservation status due to insufficient information on population and distribution, as categorized by the IUCN Red List: DD

   We are tracking the populations of data deficient fishes and mollusks.

Word History and Origins

Origin of data deficient¹

First recorded in 1995–2000

Example Sentences

Currently, about one in seven species are classified as data deficient by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

Read more on Science Daily

Scientists report that information about fireflies is oftentimes "data deficient" which is why so many local, state and nationwide data collection initiatives, including Firefly Atlas or Firefly Watch are invaluable to collectively report firefly sightings and develop other helpful data points.

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For these “data deficient” species, a new study published in Communications Biology on August 4 suggests that no news is probably not good news.

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But some animals are in deeper trouble than others; 85 percent of data deficient amphibians, for instance, are at risk of extinction.

Read more on The Verge

Some species of animals and plants are labeled “data deficient” because conservationists haven’t been able to gather enough information about them to understand how they live or how many of them are left.

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