[Taxacom] Australsasin Decadal Plan

[Stephen Thorpe]

Thanks to Rob, my already overinflated ego has swelled to the point where I am in danger of bursting with a sense of self-importance! And, of course, I'm never even in the tinci-winciest bit sarcastic!!

>It means engaging with what people are actually doing to and for biodiversity. It means helping to respond to biosecurity incursions. It means trying to
>prioritise biodiversity losses against economic development. It even means exploring the economic potential of undervalued species.

So, in what ways exactly are N.Z. taxonomists and systematists LEADING THE WORLD (along with their Australian counterparts) in: 

(1) engaging with what people are actually doing to and for biodiversity (what are they doing, and how does taxonomy help?);

(2) responding to biosecurity incursions (Isn't it MPI who respond to biosecurity incursions, not taxonomists and systematists, and don't all countries do this?);

(3) prioritise biodiversity losses against economic development (I'm not sure that the government would be entirely with us there! Is this a role for taxonomists and systematists?); and

(4) exploring the economic potential of undervalued species (is this a role for taxonomists and systematists?)

Incidentally, this is the second time that my comments have resulted in an angry response from Rob. The first time was when I dared to suggest that the incredibly unnecessary and destabilising name changes affecting Nothofagus, committed by Peter Heenan and Rob, where simply a result of an overinflated "mihi-itch" (and, to be fair, by a system which puts pressure on taxonomists to publish stuff which LOOKS LIKE it is "making a significant difference", perhaps so that they can then claim to be "world leaders" when it comes to funding applications!)

Stephen

--------------------------------------------
On Fri, 4/5/18, Rob Smissen <SmissenR at landcareresearch.co.nz> wrote:

 Subject: [Taxacom] Australsasin Decadal Plan
 To: "Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu" <Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
 Received: Friday, 4 May, 2018, 12:10 AM
 
 I reckon Stephen Thorpe has made his point.
 He is the best systematist in the world and is in
 Australasia! We are very lucky to have his leadership here
 and must be world-leading as a result.
 
 What does ""translating biodiversity
 research for public benefit" mean?
 
 It means engaging with what people are
 actually doing to and for biodiversity. It means helping to
 respond to biosecurity incursions. It means trying to
 prioritise biodiversity losses against economic development.
 It even means exploring the economic potential of
 undervalued species. It means other things too, but I hope
 you get my point.
 
 It may not be my ideal for the science
 of systematics, but it is not waffle. I'm pretty sure we
 could do it better at it, but  doing our work with
 consideration for the work of others in our interdependent
 community is an honorable aspiration.
 
 The subtext in the decadal plan is that
 Australasian professional systematists are trying hard to
 respond to the agendas of the wider communities in which
 they live and have made strides in that direction over
 recent years. My view of the literature in my field (green
 plant systematics) is that we are highly prioritised in
 Australasia compared to the wider world. This is an
 important thing for funders (mostly governments) to
 appreciate.
 
 There are some who would rather spend
 their time hating on their own, but it's reassuring to know
 that funders don't generally respond to trolls.
 
 Best of luck for all your funding
 applications
 
 Rob
 
 
 
 ________________________________
 
 Please consider the environment before
 printing this email
 Warning: This electronic message
 together with any attachments is confidential. If you
 receive it in error: (i) you must not read, use, disclose,
 copy or retain it; (ii) please contact the sender
 immediately by reply email and then delete the emails.
 The views expressed in this email may
 not be those of Landcare Research New Zealand Limited. http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz
 _______________________________________________
 Taxacom Mailing List
 Taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu,
 http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 The Taxacom Archive back to 1992 may be
 searched at: http://taxacom.markmail.org
 
 Send Taxacom mailing list submissions
 to taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 To subscribe or unsubscribe via the
 Web, visit: http://mailman.nhm.ku.edu/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/taxacom
 You can reach the person managing the
 list at: taxacom-owner at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
 
 Nurturing Nuance while Assaulting
 Ambiguity for 31 Some Years, 1987-2018.