Why is Taxonomy Important for Science and Nature

Taxonomy is the backbone of science and nature, allowing us to identify and classify the vast array of living things on our planet.

Taxonomy provides a common language for scientists to communicate and collaborate, making it easier to share knowledge and advance our understanding of the natural world.

By organizing living things into a hierarchical system, taxonomy helps us to understand the relationships between different species and how they fit into the larger ecosystem.

For example, the classification of plants into kingdoms, phyla, and families helps us to identify the characteristics and behaviors of different plant species.

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Taxonomy is a system used to classify and organize living things, including plants, animals, and microorganisms, into groups based on their characteristics and evolutionary relationships. This system helps scientists understand the diversity of life on Earth.

Taxonomy is based on the idea that all living things share a common ancestor and have evolved over time through a process of mutation, genetic drift, and natural selection. This concept is essential to understanding the relationships between different species.

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The first attempt to create a comprehensive taxonomy was made by Carl Linnaeus in the 18th century, who developed a system of binomial nomenclature that is still used today. In this system, each species is given a unique two-part name consisting of a genus and species identifier.

Taxonomy is essential for identifying and classifying new species, which is crucial for conservation efforts and understanding the impact of human activities on the environment. By classifying species, scientists can track changes in population sizes and distributions over time.

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Taxonomy has a rich history that spans thousands of years. The earliest forays into formal classification were made by ancient Chinese and Egyptians, who cataloged medicinal plants and described their uses.

In ancient Egypt, medical papyri dating back to 1700 to 1600 bce provided detailed descriptions of medicinal plants and their uses. This shows that humans have been interested in classifying and understanding the natural world for a very long time.

A truly scientific attempt at classification didn't occur until the 18th century, with the possible exception of Aristotle's works, which hinted at a taxonomy. Early taxonomy was based on arbitrary criteria, known as "artificial systems", which included Linnaeus's system of sexual classification for plants.

The publication of Charles Darwin's On the Origin of Species in 1859 led to a new explanation for classifications, based on evolutionary relationships. This was a major breakthrough in the field of taxonomy.

In the Renaissance and Age of Enlightenment, categorizing organisms became more prevalent, and taxonomic works became more ambitious. This was partly due to the development of sophisticated optical lenses, which allowed for a closer study of morphology.

Andrea Cesalpino, an Italian physician, is often credited as the first taxonomist, thanks to his magnum opus De Plantis, which described over 1500 plant species in 1583.

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Taxonomic systems have evolved over time, reflecting our growing understanding of the diversity of life on Earth. Linnaeus' two-kingdom system, which divided the physical world into vegetable and animal kingdoms, was the first major classification system.

In 1866, Haeckel introduced a three-kingdom system, adding a third kingdom for Protista. This system was later refined by other scientists, including Copeland, who proposed a four-kingdom system in 1938.

The number of kingdoms continued to grow, with Whittaker proposing a five-kingdom system in 1969. This system included Monera, Protista, Fungi, Plantae, and Animalia. Woese's three-domain system, proposed in 1977, grouped organisms into Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryota.

The table below summarizes the major taxonomic systems proposed by different scientists:

These systems reflect our increasing understanding of the diversity of life on Earth and the relationships between different organisms.

Taxonomic methods come in different forms, but one of the earliest methods is phenetics, which classifies organisms based on overall similarity, regardless of their evolutionary relationships.

Phenetic methods, like neighbor joining, have persisted because they're rapid estimators of relationships when more advanced methods are too computationally expensive.

Phenetics has largely been superseded by cladistic analyses, which distinguish shared ancestral traits from shared derived traits.

Taxonomists describe and classify new species by comparing characteristics shared by groups of organisms, which may be anatomical, behavioural or even molecular.

Scientists use characteristics like anatomical features, such as the exquisitely detailed claw of a crab, to compare and classify different species.

Taxonomists try to piece together the evolutionary relationships between different taxa, which can be visualized with a cladogram, a diagram showing how different species or groups are thought to be related to each other.

Cladograms help show how species have branched out into the diversity we now see all around us.

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Taxonomic expertise is built up over many years and represents a very specialized form of knowledge. Describing and classifying biodiversity is the foundation upon which all the life sciences rest.

In New Zealand, taxonomists and taxonomic collections are crucial for identifying pests and diseases at the border, which is fundamental to the country's economy. Biosecurity is critical to ongoing access to export markets, which in turn protects jobs.

The New Zealand Threat Classification System (NZTCS) database is a valuable resource for accessing information about the country's biota. Species Aotearoa is seeking to boost taxonomy and biosystematics in Aotearoa New Zealand to address the urgent need for fundamental information about our biota.

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A monograph is a comprehensive analysis of a taxon, covering all available information at a particular time and globally. This thorough review can lead to a change in classification, identification of new subtaxa, or merging of previous ones.

A monograph involves examining various character sets, such as morphology, anatomy, palynology, biochemistry, and genetics. This detailed analysis helps establish relationships between subtaxa within the taxon under study.

The ICZN Code and ICN govern the naming and publication of new taxa, ensuring consistency in taxonomy. These codes separate defining the content of a taxon from defining its name.

A monograph typically results in a revised classification, new subtaxa identification, or subtaxa merger. This process can be extensive, involving complex computer analyses of DNA sequence data.

Here's a summary of the key aspects of a monograph:

Recent comprehensive classifications have been a game-changer in the field of taxonomy. Adl et al. published two comprehensive classifications in 2012 and 2019, covering eukaryotes with an emphasis on protists.

These classifications are a great example of how taxonomists are working to better understand the relationships between different groups of organisms. Ruggiero et al. published a comprehensive classification in 2015, covering both eukaryotes and prokaryotes to the rank of Order.

Taxonomists are essential for the study of biodiversity and conservation biology. A separate compilation by Ruggiero in 2014 covers extant taxa to the rank of Family.

Database-driven treatments like the Encyclopedia of Life and the Global Biodiversity Information Facility are also valuable resources for taxonomists. The Paleobiology Database is a great resource for fossil records.

Biologists known as "taxonomists" are the primary practitioners of taxonomy, although enthusiastic naturalists also contribute to the publication of new taxa.

Taxonomy relies heavily on databases to organize and search classifications.

The Catalogue of Life is a comprehensive database that attempts to list every documented species.

As of April 2016, the catalogue listed 1.64 million species for all kingdoms.

This database claims to cover more than three-quarters of the estimated species known to modern science.

Aotearoa is home to an impressive 29 taxonomic collections, spread across various institutions. These collections hold around 12 million specimens, with a staggering 80% being invertebrates due to their incredible diversity.

Taxonomists in New Zealand are spread across different organizations, with approximately 360 working in the country. However, only a subset of these are employed in full-time roles.

Some of the larger organizations employing taxonomists include Crown research institutes and museums. These organizations are crucial in employing taxonomists as scientists and curators.

Landcare Research houses the largest collection, the New Zealand Arthropod Collection, and employs many taxonomists to describe species, revise classifications, and curate the collection.

Fauna of New Zealand is a series of monographs that details land-based invertebrates. Each volume includes a checklist of taxa, an introduction to the group, and descriptions of new and existing species alongside diagrams and illustrations.

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Aristotle was one of the first to classify living things, dividing all organisms into two groups: plants and animals. He created groups like Anhaima (invertebrates) and Enhaima (vertebrates), which are still used today.

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Taxonomy in Renaissance and Early Modern Times

During the Renaissance, taxonomic works became more ambitious and replaced ancient texts. This was made possible by the development of sophisticated optical lenses, which allowed for a more detailed study of organism morphology.

Taxonomists like Andrea Cesalpino and John Ray made significant contributions to the field. Cesalpino's magnum opus De Plantis described over 1500 plant species, and Ray's Methodus Plantarum Nova included details of over 18,000 plant species.

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The Renaissance and Early Modern Period saw a significant leap in taxonomic works, thanks to the development of sophisticated optical lenses that allowed for a more detailed study of organism morphology.

During this time, categorizing organisms became more prevalent and ambitious enough to replace the ancient texts. One of the earliest authors to take advantage of this technological advancement was the Italian physician Andrea Cesalpino, who has been called "the first taxonomist".

Cesalpino's magnum opus, De Plantis, was published in 1583 and described more than 1500 plant species. Two large plant families that he first recognized are still in use today: the Asteraceae and Brassicaceae.

John Ray, an English taxonomist, wrote many important taxonomic works in the 17th century. His greatest accomplishment was Methodus Plantarum Nova, published in 1682, which included details of over 18,000 plant species.

Joseph Pitton de Tournefort, a French taxonomist, produced the next major taxonomic works in the early 18th century. His Institutiones Rei Herbariae, published in 1700, included more than 9000 species in 698 genera and directly influenced the work of Linnaeus.

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The Linnaean era was a game-changer in the world of taxonomy. Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, revolutionized modern taxonomy with his major works, including Systema Naturae 1st Edition in 1735 and Species Plantarum in 1753.

Linnaeus introduced a standardized binomial naming system for animal and plant species, which was a major breakthrough. This system allowed for clear and concise identification of species.

His work, particularly Systema Naturae 10th Edition, made it possible to identify plants and animals using the smaller parts of the flower, known as the Linnaean system. This was a significant innovation in the field of taxonomy.

The Linnaean system is still widely used today, and taxonomists consider Linnaeus' work as the "starting point" for valid names, published in 1753 and 1758 respectively.

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The Digital Era of taxonomy is a game-changer. Modern taxonomy is heavily influenced by technology such as DNA sequencing, bioinformatics, databases, and imaging.

In this era, technology has made it possible to analyze vast amounts of genetic data, helping scientists to identify and classify species more accurately. This has led to a significant increase in the discovery of new species.

With the help of advanced imaging techniques, scientists can now study the morphology of organisms in greater detail than ever before. This has greatly improved our understanding of the evolutionary relationships between different species.

The use of databases and bioinformatics has also streamlined the process of taxonomy, making it easier to store, manage, and analyze large amounts of data.

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