Quirks, quarks and vanishing taxonomists

[John Bruner]

I agree with Steve Halford.  The summary of the program is as follows:

"Quirks & Quarks for March 8, 1997

Losing Knowledge: Taxonomy in Decline
Taxonomy, the classification of living things, is a science in trouble. Dr
Rick Winterbottom, Curator in the Centre for
Conservation and Biodiversity at the Royal Ontario Museum says his
institution has lost 30% of its workforce. And this is typical
of museums and institutions that do taxonomy. Dr George Ball, Professor
Emeritus in the Department of Biological Sciences at
the University of Alberta says he's seen his science decline - and he's
concerned about the future. Dr Elaine Hoagland,
Executive Director of the Association of Systematics Collections in
Washington, says taxonomy has suffered as other biological
sciences, especially the high-tech ones - have grown, but Dr Richard
Alexander, Director of the Museum of Zoology at the
University of Michigan says that those who think taxonomy is old fashioned
are mistaken. Dr Lynn Kimsey, an entomologist at
the University of California, says we'll need taxonomists for economic
reasons, and we'll have to start paying for taxonomic
expertise if the science is to survive."

Instructions on how to download the March 8, 1997 program can be found at
the following website:

http://www.radio.cbc.ca/radio/programs/current/quirks/archives.htm#This

John

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*   Mr. John Clay Bruner                                     *
*   Department of Biological Sciences                        *
*   University of Alberta                                    *
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