[Taxacom] TROPICOS

[Jim Croft]

It is common practice to dither, truncate or obfuscate the precise
localities of endangered species.  While this may be abhorred by those
interested in scientific analyses, it may be a necessary evil when
such locality data is released publicly.

Some argue that a management regime that relies on ignorance is
perhaps one of the least secure ways of protecting a species.  If
someone knows something, someone else can find out...

jim

On Tue, May 12, 2009 at 12:45 AM, Jody Haynes <jody at plantapalm.com> wrote:
> Michael,
>
> While I agree with its usefulness, I feel that I should point out that
> TROPICOS makes freely available precise GPS coordinates for many threatened,
> endangered, and critically endangered species -- including CITES Appendix 1
> listed species. While this type of information can be extremely useful to
> researchers studying a particular taxon, from a conservationist perspective
> I find this type of freely accessible locality information quite troubling,
> particularly considering that one of the primary threats to the plant group
> that I study is illicit collection of plants from habitat for black market
> trade. Comments on this issue from members of this group would be greatly
> appreciated.
>
> Jody Haynes
> President, The Cycad Society, Inc. (www.cycad.org)
> Secretary, IUCN/SSC Cycad Specialist Group (www.cycadsg.org)
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: <michael.heads at yahoo.com>
> To: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
> Sent: Sunday, May 10, 2009 6:21 PM
> Subject: [Taxacom] (no subject)
>
>
>
> I think TROPICOS is fantastic, I use it all the time. The obvious
> improvement though would be to have it connected with databases of other big
> herbaria. This means you need a working list but this shouldn't be
> publicised as a definitive or official list. The focus shouldn't be on the
> list but on making the databases (a) available and (b) integrated so that,
> for example, a single map can be produced including specimens from the
> different collections (cf. the Australian National Botanic Gardens site).
>
> Michael Heads
>
> Wellington, New Zealand.
>
> My papers on biogeography are at: http://tiny.cc/RiUE0
>
>
>
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-- 
_________________
Jim Croft ~ jim.croft at gmail.com ~ +61-2-62509499 ~
http://www.google.com/profiles/jim.croft

"Words, as is well known, are the great foes of reality."
- Joseph Conrad, author (1857-1924)

"I know that you believe that you understood what you think I said,
but I am not sure you realize that what you heard is not what I meant."
 - attributed to Robert McCloskey, US State Department spokesman