Correct identification of individual species is a must for conserving them. In most of the developing and underdeveloped countries much interest have not be given to study the species or classification of animals. Where as in the developed countries, research has moved towards documenting available germplasm and living resources through molecular taxonomy. But such intiatives are yet to take up and it needs reasonably good investment on equipments. These countries harbour most of the biodiversity. The classical taxonomist also become rare and extinct in these region. The scientists or researchers opted for taxonomy is becoming less. So classical taxonomic related studies should be strengthened to document and conserve these living diversity.
Hi Paulraj, Good question. I have been involved in collaborative projects in Indonesia for some time now and this is certainly an issue in that country. The projects I have been involved in are on fish and we have collected many fish specimens (>3000) in more than 11 years. Of these we have ensured that at least half, with representatives of each species are retained in the country (in this case MZB in Cibinong, Java) and that new species (which we had quite a number of) have the holotypes deposited also in Indonesia. While this doesn't necessarily equate to more classical taxonomic researchers in Indonesia, it does improve the capability to undertake such studies. It can sometimes be a slow process but improving and increasing the capability of a biological collection in developing countries is an important step and a foundation to lead to more classical taxonomic work in the future. We hope in the future to develop some postgraduate in-country students to work on some of the taxonomic problems based on these collections. Cheers Will
Well. Respected White thank you very much for your valuable direction. I understand, the classical taxonomica work has to be initiated with proper collection and storage.If they are not studied now, atleast it could be studied later by some other scientists/ researcher. I could recollect, the fish specimen collected and deposited by Sir Francis Day at Australian museum during the earlier part of 19th century. So constant efforts are needed to create museum or storing places for various group of species. It is definitely a long journey for India and other developing world.
Paulraj, I find you question very interesting, I'm working right now on a project to incorporate native and endangered flora from Chile to digital databases in order to stop specimen collections and make it available for everyone, particularly via internet.
Yes. Soto- Prado, the Digital library is coming up most of the places. Fishbase serve a model one. Digitalization of existing and preserved species at museums are very useful. In the developing world, the fish faunal biodiversity is very high. Their collection and systematics are very old. New and existing species collection are needed to understand the present diversity and status. Hope new initiatives will be taken to strengthen these ignored field, the classical taxonomist.
I agree with William. Capacity building starts with education, and the will to implement taxonomic programs.
Training parataxonomists might be a good option. There have been nice projects: http://www.mnh.si.edu/highlight/parataxonomy/ http://www.nationalgeographic.com/explorers/bios/erika-cuellar/
I agree with van Rooy. It is definitely will to implement the taxonomic program. In the developing world like India, there are no takers for taxonomy program. Even the conventional universities, the biological studies are vanishing. The undergraduate programs are modified as practical applied one. The diversity available in these world needs to be documented with hard work. As suggested parataxonomist and parabiologist will be good option. Necessary mechanism should be evolved to extend the service of learned classical taxonomist through collaborations.
Taxonomy does not only require a theoretic and practical knowledge base of the species it also requires a good standing in statistical analysis because in the multitude of taxonomic variables, patterns distinct to a species can easily be highlighted using multivariate statistics.
First of all, there must be a career in the field of taxonomy. A career that lead to a job that will continue them doing research in taxonomy. Where? The answer is the collection-based and research-based institution that we called the Natural History Museum. And the countries who talk about biodiversity must understand the important of taxonomy. And there is a commitment to fund the running of this institution.
There is a need to make the profession of taxonomy more attractive and encouraging to be involved in because the growing scope of genetic technologies seems to relegate this profession from the scope of things.
Globally, taxonomists are dwindling. I feel time has come we should make it compulsory to study, molecular Biology, DNA/RNA/Chemical finger printing, phytochemistry, LCMS/MS/ NMR technologies, Information Technologies also. This will induct new concepts in the field of taxonomy as well as help increasing job prospects for taxonomists in related areas. Taxonomy could be major and rest minor subjects.
I strongly agree with you Linas. Taxonomist may in fact be an endangered group of scientists, probably on their way to extinction!
”How could we strengthen the classical taxonomical study of flora and fauna in the developing world? ”
by sending them money
I see, Azubuike. Soon we will have scientists, having trou ble to distinguish between marten and ferret wothout genetic analysis. I vote for taxonomy (not being taxonomist myself).
It happened to me listen to D. Janzen, about his project in Costa Rica. It looked great at the beginning. Hovewer, we know also what kind of mistakes were made. Thus, parataxonomy may help as a tool for strengthening biodiversity knowledge and will definitely add to taxonomy, as a science.
I believed with your knowledge-base in taxonomy, one can proceed through working in more details the subject related to flora and fauna and the interests in looking at the morphology, anatomy and related distinguishing features of the species. This is a basic tool and the foundation for DNA taxonomy and the future genetic studies.
When I mentioned there is no career in taxonomy, I meant that there is no job for those who are inclined to become a taxonomist. Therefore who wanted to be a taxonomist if there is no job or position. This is what I see in the developing countries. And you can see jobs in biotechnology are aplenty....
I suggest the first step should be to organizing an international gathering of taxonomists, a conference to chart a new course for the profession particularly as it pertains to the current trends in biological sciences including the wide spread of molecular techniques for organism classification.
Robert, you said that there are not many people working on taxonomy in developing countries. Why? Because there are no positions or not many positions. Since there are no positions or no jobs , who wanted to pursue a career in taxonomy. In contrast, there are many positions in the applied biology...........
You could engage more people by trying to use technology to get them observing organisms and thereby generate curiosity about their taxonomic differences. For example, many smart phone apps can take georeferenced pictures that can be uploaded where others can verify the identifications or add identifications. It isn't a direct way to get people trained in taxonomy but it does help document biodiversity and get more people involved. Check out iNaturalist for an example http://www.inaturalist.org/.
Robert, this is our problem. Why? We are not talking about the first world.
Very good. But what you said is not happening in Southeast Asia, Indochina, India, and Africa.
I would like to suggest in this matter with following three points:
1. Collaborations among global classical taxonomists,
2. Literature sharing among them and posting them online,
3. Amalgamation of classical as well as molecular research
I totally agree with u Prakash, well said; but could you please add how and by what means these steps could easily be executed i.e. avenues and platforms to kick start this strategy?
If we look back at the Rio Convention on the Biodiversity, there was already an agenda to strengthen capacity building in order to understand biodiversity, covering manpower and infrastructure. BUT countries simply signed and never implemented. The number of taxonomists recruited and the number of museum to house specimens remain the same!
Many things also never happened in Europe, I mean East Europe, after signing Rio Convention. There is no big difference.
"Classical studies always creates novelty, its a base of origin of today's developing world".....The incorporation of molecular or so called advanced studies has created much confusion among them who relies on the classical way of identification. Sitting with a microscope and examining detail characters of any species is much tough to identify.....a so called easy way i.e molecular methods in the advanced worlds is comparatively easier than that. If you all take a look of the present data bases of fungi, plants etc. etc. you could find the result of molecular techniques (advanced world) i.e. lots of synonyms, which in turn next to impossible for thinking.. (Amanita can't be Agaricus isn't !!!!)
I suppose that those days are coming soon when there would be a struggle between us and those of the Molecular Robot's.......
......"And the winning bell would come from our side...."
I appreciate the concept of Mr. Prakash, we would have to make a global collaboration among classical taxonomists...
Azubuike, how could we start here? Planning field projects, inviting "first world" researchers, creating win/win situations. You know the interesting spots, how to reach them economically and comfortable, you can get permissions fast, you know the local people, you speak the language. Be creative. There are such projects.
Taxonomic expertise are very limited in the world in general and the developing world in particular. From the point of view of limited resources and practical reasons, classical taxonomy plays a great role in the taxonomic study of plant and animal species. Thus, it is essential to encourage classical taxonomists, through collaboration and providing the necessary support. On the other hand, classifications that are obscure should be refined using molecular research. Complementary classical and molecular taxonomic studies are needed to enhance the applications of taxonomy in biodiversity conservation. In addition, there is a need to produce more number of taxonomists.
There are several organizations that are trying to standardize all the taxonomic knowledge that we already have. For example, FishBase (http://www.fishbase.org/search.php), a global information system for fish, has all the the data your need about fishes and it is available in 20 languages.
The International Plant Names Index (http://www.ipni.org/) is standardizing the plant taxonomy.
Also, the Global Biodiversity Information Facility (http://www.gbif.org/) encourages free and open access to biodiversity data, via the Internet. Several museums, herbarium, botanical gardens, etc. have their database available though this site FREE.
So, there are several initiatives to strength, standardize and share the taxonomic information worlwide.
Maybe the problem is that not many people know about it.
David Cerda-Grandos,
Many thanks for indicating important sources of taxonomic information.
Taxonomy in Southeast Asia is actually pretty strong, compared with the other biodiversity fields. Biodiversity taught here tends to start from a taxonomic base rather than an ecological process base. Students are also taught to collect and voucher, and lecturers often stress it is necessary to kill for that purpose. I come from that system.
Taxonomy is pretty strong in Southeast Asia? I am not sure where you get this info!
Yes I do agree. Some of the works on fish taxonomy were started earlier in this region. The recent revisions in this region for catfish group and carps, indicates need for further strengthening taxonomy. I am very much particular about wet land biodiversity which need further support in this region. From India, taxonomist are becoming rarer group. I must appreciate the attempt initiated at Australian National university which would help the students understand the voucher collection.
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