[Taxacom] FW: Released Friday 27 April - Discovering Biodiversity: A decadal plan for taxonomy and biosystematics in Australia and New Zealand 2018-2027

[Geoffrey Read]

Stephen,

The statement is in their report, and, as we both expected, it isn't
backed by a citation. So, yes, it's waffle & the claim is unsubstantiated
directly.  By 'translating' for public benefit they probably mean outreach
& interaction like this quote, as well as ALA online itself (not that I
think ALA is as good as it could be, but it's there and has potential):

"The Atlas of Living Australia supports over 550 citizen science projects
through its Citizen Science Project Finder, including censuses of iconic
species such as platypus and black cockatoos, local or regional surveys
and bioblitzes, and local, regional and national general observational
projects. In New Zealand, NatureWatch aggregates observations of organisms
from over 5 000 recorders, with more than 2 000 specialists, ranging from
professionals to knowledgeable amateurs, helping to identify contributed
images."

There is a statement about number of plant species described in Australia,
which is up there with the top numbers elsewhere. They extrapolate that to
all biota, & probably shouldn't, but in my marine field Australia has
probably an order of magnitude more discovered species than NZ.

Geoff

On Thu, May 3, 2018 11:15 am, Stephen Thorpe wrote:
> Geoff, just to clarify what I posted in reply to you: I agree with you
> that "this group are doing their best to promote the taxonomy in which
> they have invested their careers to those who might have money to fund
> it", it is called "marketing" (or something like that!)
>
> However, this isn't an answer to the question I originally posed, i.e.
> what does this mean? "Australian and New Zealand taxonomists and
> biosystematists are world leaders, particularly in translating
> biodiversity research for public benefit"
>
> i.e., what does "translating biodiversity research for public benefit"
> actually mean, and in what sense are Australian and New Zealand
> taxonomists and biosystematists world leaders at doing this? I'm just
> checking for any plausibly trueish interpretation before declaring it to
> be meaningless rhetoric designed to squeeze money out of potential
> funders!
>
> Stephen
>
> --------------------------------------------
> On Thu, 3/5/18, Stephen Thorpe <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz> wrote:
>
>  Subject: Re: [Taxacom] FW: Released Friday 27 April - Discovering
> Biodiversity: A decadal plan for taxonomy and biosystematics in Australia
> and New Zealand 2018-2027
>  To: gread at actrix.gen.nz
>  Cc: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>  Received: Thursday, 3 May, 2018, 10:51 AM
>
>  Hold on a minute Geoff!
>
>  "It means this group are doing their
>  best to promote the taxonomy in which they have invested
>  their careers to those who might have money to fund it"
>
>  Are you being sarcastic here, or what?
>  Difficult to tell!
>
>  Surely, you aren't seriously suggesting
>  that "translating biodiversity research for PUBLIC BENEFIT"
>  [My emphasis] equates to promoting it to potential
>  funders!!!
>
>  Stephen
>
>  --------------------------------------------
>  On Thu, 3/5/18, Geoff Read <gread at actrix.gen.nz>
>  wrote:
>
>   Subject: Re: [Taxacom] FW: Released
>  Friday 27 April - Discovering Biodiversity: A decadal plan
>  for taxonomy and biosystematics in Australia and New Zealand
>  2018-2027
>   To: "Stephen Thorpe" <stephen_thorpe at yahoo.co.nz>
>   Cc: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
>   Received: Thursday, 3 May, 2018, 10:30
>  AM
>
>
>   It means this
>   group are doing their best to promote
>  the taxonomy in
>   which
>   they have invested their careers to
>   those who might have money to fund
>  it.
>
>   Might also relate factually to "He
>  says
>   Australia discovers and names
>   around 2,500
>   new species per year—more than
>  almost any other country
>   in
>   the world."
>
>   They trotted out David Attenborough
>  yet again
>   as the front man with public
>   recognition.
>   What a trooper he is to do this sort
>  of thing repeatedly.
>
>   Must name a species after him.
>
>   Geoff
>
>   On
>   Wed, May 2, 2018 8:40 pm, Stephen
>  Thorpe wrote:
>   > See below. In this rhetoric-laden
>  begging
>   bowl, it is claimed "Australian
>   >
>   and New Zealand taxonomists and
>  biosystematists are world
>   leaders,
>   > particularly in translating
>   biodiversity research for public
>  benefit"
>   >
>   > Can anyone translate
>   that? What does it mean???
>   >
>   > Stephen
>   >
>   >
>   > --- On Wed, 2/5/18,
>   Dean Peterson <Dean.Peterson at tepapa.govt.nz>
>   wrote:
>   >
>   >> From:
>   Dean Peterson <Dean.Peterson at tepapa.govt.nz>
>   >> Subject: FW: Released Friday
>  27 April
>   - Discovering Biodiversity: A
>   >>
>   decadal plan for taxonomy and
>  biosystematics in Australia
>   and New
>   >> Zealand 2018-2027
>   >> To: "Dean Peterson" <Dean.Peterson at tepapa.govt.nz>
>   >> Received: Wednesday, 2 May,
>  2018, 1:17
>   PM
>   >>
>