Speciesbyspecies

Speciesbyspecies is a proposed framework for a cross-species data resource that focuses on relationships and similarities between species rather than within a single species. The goal is to enable systematic, comparative analyses by cataloging how two species relate across motifs such as ecology, morphology, genetics, and evolution. It is motivated by the idea that studying interspecific patterns can illuminate function, adaptation, and ecosystem dynamics.

Data model: Each entry represents a pair of species and includes metadata such as taxonomy, geographic range, primary traits, ecological interactions (predation, competition, mutualism), estimated genetic distance, and measures of ecological or phenotypic similarity. Sources may include taxonomic databases, genomic repositories, trait compilations, and published studies. Entries include a method field describing how similarity or interaction was assessed and references to provenance.

Applications: Researchers use speciesbyspecies to compare functional analogs across taxa, explore convergent evolution, and infer potential ecological roles for poorly studied species by similarity to well-characterized relatives. In conservation, it can help identify surrogate species or model systems for ecosystem services. Educators can illustrate cross-species patterns in evolution and ecology.

Challenges and status: As a concept, it faces challenges such as data heterogeneity, taxonomic changes, and biases toward well-documented groups. Critics note that pairwise metrics may oversimplify complex networks and interactions. Proponents emphasize the need for transparent methods, rigorous curation, and community governance to ensure reliability and reproducibility.