Why is taxonomy considered a work in progress

These help avoid perpetuation of errors in the literature and thus increase stability and decrease ambiguity of taxon names. Improvements are not limited to the Codes. Efforts such as the Catalogue of Life, with its numerous contributors and broad spectrum of users, already provide a valuable service for many taxonomic groups in asserting a reference classification and set of species concepts covering all life.

This illustrates the potential for building a robust framework for a stable taxonomy to serve those initiatives that benefit from such stability, including conservation. These efforts can be improved by filling the existing gaps in taxa, training new taxonomists, improving the quality of information included for certain groups e. Dynamic taxonomy reflects the scientific nature and progress of the discipline.

Artificially and arbitrarily constraining taxonomy through the system proposed by Garnett and Christidis would damage scientific credibility far more severely than misperceptions about the taxonomic process. The dynamic nature of taxonomic progress may be at odds with some aspects of conservation legislation, resulting, in part, from a mutual misunderstanding of the fundamental processes involved with both taxonomy and conservation.

Rather than redefine how one of the core disciplines of biological sciences is conducted, a more effective approach is to redefine how conservation legislation is enacted and implemented. The process of changing legislation requires acts of governments, which can take years to accomplish. However, fundamentally altering a system of classifying nature that has successfully endured more than two and a half centuries would have many detrimental consequences.

Most of the problems for conservation resulting from the dynamic taxonomic process could be avoided entirely if future conservation legislation followed the lead of existing international conventions by explicitly referencing the specific taxon concept implied by a name, that is, by citing the original species description or a recent scholarly taxonomic treatment. Taxonomists and conservation biologists should join forces to promote effective legislative mechanisms to deal with a changing taxonomy rather than engage in infighting about the proper way to do taxonomy.

This is exemplified by CITES, which adopts standard nomenclatural references [ 23 ] to define species or taxonomic groups and which periodically revises the adopted standards in response to evolving taxonomic consensus. Many have argued that conservation legislation should focus on protecting entire ecosystems rather than rely on enumerated lists of species e.

While this approach requires a solid taxonomic foundation to characterize the ecosystems in question, the legislation itself would be insulated from specific changes to taxon names and concepts.

In cases in which legislation includes specific taxa by name, such as harvesting or endangered species regulations, it should make the intended taxonomic concepts clear with reference to published treatments.

That will allow unambiguous understanding even if the nomenclature and classification change because of taxonomic advances. The critical importance of taxonomy and the taxonomic process in the global quest to mitigate biodiversity loss cannot be overemphasized. Without a robust taxonomic paradigm that is based on science and unconstrained by unnecessary and counterproductive bureaucracy, conservation efforts will ultimately suffer, potentially leading to devastating and irreversible impacts on global biodiversity.

Funding: The authors received no specific funding for this work. Does taxonomy hamper conservation? Download: PPT. Fig 1. Nomenclature and taxonomy intersect objectively only at the type specimen, as designated through rules established by nomenclatural codes to anchor scientific names to the biological world. Conservation is crucial The dynamic nature of taxonomic progress may be at odds with some aspects of conservation legislation, resulting, in part, from a mutual misunderstanding of the fundamental processes involved with both taxonomy and conservation.

References 1. Garnett ST, Christidis L. Taxonomy anarchy hampers conservation. What really hampers taxonomy and conservation? A riposte to Garnett and Christidis Zootaxa, ; 1 , pp.

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Lambertz M. Taxonomy: retain scientific autonomy. View Article Google Scholar 8. Taxonomy: naming algae, fungi, plants. View Article Google Scholar 9. Understanding and confronting species uncertainty in biology and conservation. Trends Ecol Evol. View Article Google Scholar Thiele K, Yeates D. But how do decision-makers decide where to establish protected areas if they don't know what is being protected?

How can regulators identify and combat harmful invasive species if they cannot distinguish them from native species? How do developing countries ensure that they reap the benefits of the use of their biological diversity, if they don't know the biological diversity that is being used? Taxonomy provides basic understanding about the components of biodiversity which is necessary for effective decision-making about conservation and sustainable use.

Booklet created for the inaugural CBD Linnaeus lecture containing summaries of presentations and information on the importance and legacy of Linnaeus, the father of taxonomy. How to Name a Species: the Taxonomic Process 1 Taxonomists begin by sorting specimens to separate sets they believe represent species. Once the specimens are sorted the next job is to see whether or not they already have names.

This may involve working through identification guides, reading descriptions written perhaps years ago, and borrowing named specimens from museums or herbaria to compare with the sample.

Such comparison may involve external characters, need to dissect internal structures, or even molecular analysis of the DNA. If there is no match the specimens may represent a new species, not previously given a name. The taxonomist then has to write a description, including ways in which the new species can be distinguished from others, and make up a name for it, in a Latin format.