[Taxacom] Propaganda (was: Molecules vs. Morphology)

[Stephen Thorpe]

I think the debate (or "fight") is over the appropriate relative  
proportions of molecular vs morphological. The Xenoturbella example  
perhaps betrays a tendency of some to rush ahead with molecular work  
as if it holds all the answers. Most worrying in this regard, although  
I haven't looked at the details, and only know of it second hand, is  
an apparently MASSIVELY funded project in Canada which (again  
apparently) advertises itself something along the lines of "no more  
need for museum specimens, DNA barcoding is all we need"! The fact  
that funders are willing to invest massive amounts on development of  
such ideas is disturbing!


Quoting Gurcharan Singh <singhg at sify.com>:

> I don't understand why we debate it as Molecules vs morphology and not
> molecules and morphology. We use plants in our daily life for a variety of
> purpose and recognise them on the basis of morphology. The reliability of
> most morphological features depends on their incorporation into genetic
> material at molecular level. Such molecular changes are more relevant than
> those which don't lead to any observable change. The purpose of Systematics
> is to develop means of identifying, naming and classifying organisms
> preferably in phylogenetic sequence. Molecular data definitely has great
> potential in decifering phylogeny, but this goes along with morphological
> data.
>     Let us not fight over molecules vs morphology, rather work for molecules
> and morphology.
>
> Gurcharan Singh
> University of Delhi
> India
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Dr. David Campbell" <amblema at bama.ua.edu>
> To: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
> Sent: Monday, August 17, 2009 9:28 PM
> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Propaganda (was: Molecules vs. Morphology)
>
>
>>> It clearly demonstrates that a sloppy extraction can lead to totally
>>> inaccurate results (make sure you aren't extracting genetic material
>>> from the stomach or intestines).
>>
>> It's not just "sloppy" extractions; sometimes the organism (or sample,
>> e.g. "it's already dead, so might as well try for DNA" with endangered
>> species) makes it difficult for you, and there are also plenty of
>> potential intermediate steps between tissue clip and extraction that
>> can potentially cause trouble.  Possible contamination by bacteria is
>> especially difficult to prevent, since they're pretty much everywhere
>> that there are other organisms, plus places unsuitable for anything
>> else.
>>
>> In general, more critical examination of molecular results would be
>> advisable.  Not only are there the anomalies due to contamination,
>> misidentification, etc., but also just because your latest analysis
>> supports a clade does not mean that it is well-supported and the
>> definitive final answer.  On the other hand, when a molecular clade is
>> unexpected but well-supported, preferably using more than one
>> analytical technique, it'd definitely worth going back and looking to
>> see if there are morphological, geographical, or other correlates.
>>
>> --
>> Dr. David Campbell
>> 425 Scientific Collections Building
>> Department of Biological Sciences
>> Biodiversity and Systematics
>> University of Alabama, Box 870345
>> Tuscaloosa AL 35487-0345  USA
>>
>>
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>
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