[Taxacom] Why Taxonomy does NOT matter

[Richard Zander]

There is a spectrum of exactitude in indentification, Donat. I can
identify anything in my garden to species with relative assurance,
because I am a botanist, I have lots of botanists at work to help out, I
have a 5 million specimen herbarium to check things with, and a world
class library. What about the non-priesthood public? They have the same
problem I have identifying animals. But, I only want to identify animals
to some general level at which I can get more general information. There
are any number of field guides and student identification manuals for
that. 

With the Web I can do better with animal identification, sure. But using
the Web for plant identification to the level of exactitude I want is
just ancillary. Sometimes a picture helps, but a professional treatment
is what I need.

The difference between public and professional use of new taxonomic
tools is clear. Both aims are worthy, and there is no reason to say
taxonomy is inaccessible when so much effort is put into making it
accessible at the level needed by both public and professional.

 
* * * * * * * * * * * * 
Richard H. Zander 
Missouri Botanical Garden, PO Box 299, St. Louis, MO 63166-0299 USA 
Web sites: http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/ and
http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/bfna/bfnamenu.htm
Modern Evolutionary Systematics Web site:
http://www.mobot.org/plantscience/resbot/21EvSy.htm


-----Original Message-----
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
[mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Donat Agosti
Sent: Wednesday, May 04, 2011 6:52 AM
To: 'Fabian Haas'; taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] Why Taxonomy does NOT matter

Dear Fabian

I think your point
5) Taxonomic knowledge is available
Taxonomy is perceived as a public good, as something the states support
and
not the project based donors.

I think this is just the reason why taxonomy is not interesting, and you
got
it, in my humble view completely wrong:
Taxonomy knowledge is NOT accessible.

Try to identify anything you find in your garden, be it here in Tehran,
New
York or Nairobi: You still can't.

And find something more reliable about the species you have: The longer
the
less you stand a chance.