A taxonomic wish–list for community ecology

Abstract

Community ecology seeks to explain the number and relative abundance of coexisting species. Four research frontiers in community ecology are closely tied to research in systematics and taxonomy: the statistics of species richness estimators, global patterns of biodiversity, the influence of global climate change on community structure, and phylogenetic influences on community structure. The most pressing needs for taxonomic information in community ecology research are usable taxonomic keys, current nomenclature, species occurrence records and resolved phylogenies. These products can best be obtained from Internet-based phylogenetic and taxonomic resources, but the lack of trained professional systematists and taxonomists threatens this effort. Community ecologists will benefit most directly from research in systematics and taxonomy by making better use of resources in museums and herbaria, and by actively seeking training, information and collaborations with taxonomic specialists.

Benefits from ecological study methods to taxonomy of enchytraeids in southern Mata Atlântica

“…It has been argued that collaboration of community ecologists and taxonomists is hampered by different approaches and assumptions, although they may share the common goal of assembling an accurate species list for a given region (Gotelli, 2004). From the experience of this work, these diffi culties do not exist if both parties are involved in the process of data recruitment from the very beginning.…”

“…Therefore, quantitative and site-based (ecological) investigations should be combined with qualitative and specimen-based (taxonomic) investigations. The benefi ts of taxonomy for ecological or conservation studies are evident, since taxonomy provides the basic units -well-described nominal species -upon which most of these studies are based (Gotelli, 2004). The reverse is perhaps less obvious.…”

“…Concerted efforts are for the benefi t of both sides. The benefi ts of taxonomy for ecological or conservation studies are almost self-evident (Gotelli, 2004): taxonomy provides the basic units -well-described nominal speciesupon which most of these studies are based. Without a resolved taxonomy, fi eld studies that sample, count and identify organisms can make only limited use of their data and have little application beyond the study objective itself.…”

Visual exploration of alternative taxonomies through concepts

“…Trying to deduce this synonymy from a paper trail left by previous taxonomists is difficult, often requiring another taxonomist to do so properly, which leads at least one commentator to state that taxonomy is not made easy for its ultimate end-users -ecologists, conservationists, naturalists etc (Godfray, 2002). Alternatively, reliance on simple name-based matching would in many instances leave the ecologist unable to equate observations in one data set with those in another, or arguably worse make the wrong link between their observations, nor able to trace the taxonomic history of a species -a need recognised in community ecology by Gotelli (2004). Faced with intractable interrelationships between taxonomies is a factor in many ecologists falling back on less accurate parataxonomy (Krell, 2004) or classifying specimens by higher-level taxa (Herman et al, 1988).…”

Ophiuroidea (Echinodermata) from La Coronilla-Cerro Verde (Uruguay): a new record for the Uruguayan coast

“…This lack of focus is further aggravated by the shortage of experienced field systematists and taxonomists (Scarabino 2006). Worldwide, the importance of detailed taxonomic inventories has been increasingly recognized (Gotelli 2004), since these constitute the basis for the development of ecosystem monitoring programs and the detection of environmental degradation.…”