Assessing transboundary scientific collaboration in the Great Lakes of North America

Sustainably managing the Great Lakes of North America (including ecosystem health, fisheries, tourism, and water quality) in a transboundary regulatory setting represents a significant and enduring challenge for society. Recognizing the role that scientific institutions can play in framing problems, informing responses, stimulating public debate, and monitoring the effectiveness of policy actions in diverse contexts, we assess the properties of the Great Lakes knowledge production apparatus. Using bibliometric analyses, the frequency and intensity of Great Lakes-related scientific knowledge collaboration are analyzed over the 15-year period from 2000 to 2014, focusing on organizational, institutional, and geographic characteristics. The results reveal generally robust scientific collaboration between government and academic institutions but also a remarkable USA–Canada cross-border disjuncture, the latter being a surprising trend given the transboundary nature of the social–ecological issues being faced. Our findings inform ongoing efforts to enhance transboundary governance capacity in the Great Lakes region.