The status of taxonomy in Canada and the impact of DNA barcodingThe present review is one of a series of occasional review articles that have been invited by the Editors and will feature the broad range of disciplines and expertise represented in our Editorial Advisory Board.

Abstract

To assess the recent history of taxonomy in Canada and the impact of DNA barcoding upon the field, we performed a survey of various indicators of taxonomic research over the past 30 years and also assessed the current direct impact of funds made available for taxonomy through the DNA barcoding NSERC (Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada) network grant. Based on results from surveys of three Canadian journals, we find that between 1980 and 2000 there was a 74% decline in the number of new species described and a 70% reduction in the number of revisionary studies published by researchers based in Canada, but there was no similar decline for non-Canadian-authored research in the same journals. Between 1991 and 2007 there was a 55% decline in the total amount of inflation-corrected funds spent upon taxonomic research by NSERC’s GSC18 (Grant Selection Committee 18); this was a result of both a decrease in the number of funded taxonomists and a decrease in mean grant size. Similarly, by 2000, the number of entomologists employed at the Canadian National Collection (CNC) had decreased to almost half their 1980 complement. There was also a significant reduction in the number of active arthropod taxonomists in universities across the country between 1989 and 1996. If these declines had continued unabated, it seems possible that taxonomy would have ceased to exist in Canada by the year 2020. While slight increases in personnel have occurred recently at the CNC, the decline in financial assistance for taxonomists has been largely reversed through funds associated with DNA barcoding. These moneys have increased the financial resources available for taxonomy overall to somewhere close to NSERC’s 1980 expenditures and have also substantially increased the number of HQP (highly qualified personnel) currently being trained in taxonomy. We conclude that the criticism “DNA barcoding has taken funds away from traditional approaches to taxonomy” is false and that, in Canada at least, the advent of DNA barcoding has reversed the dramatic decline in taxonomy. We provide recommendations on how to foster the future health of taxonomy in Canada.

The Essential Role of Taxonomic Expertise in the Creation of DNA Databases for the Identification and Delimitation of Southeast Asian Ambrosia Beetle Species (Curculionidae: Scolytinae: Xyleborini)

“…In 16 years, DNA barcoding publications have proliferated and millions of DNA barcodes have been generated (Taylor and Harris, 2012;DeSalle and Goldstein, 2019). Despite this overwhelming zeal for barcoding, taxonomists remained relevant and advocates of DNA barcoding have welcomed more interaction with taxonomists (e.g., Miller, 2007;Packer et al, 2009a;Miller et al, 2016;Zahiri et al, 2017). For example, DNA barcoding funding helped stop a decline in traditional taxonomy in Canada but productivity had not returned to pre-decline levels of 1980 (Packer et al, 2009a).…”

“…Despite this overwhelming zeal for barcoding, taxonomists remained relevant and advocates of DNA barcoding have welcomed more interaction with taxonomists (e.g., Miller, 2007;Packer et al, 2009a;Miller et al, 2016;Zahiri et al, 2017). For example, DNA barcoding funding helped stop a decline in traditional taxonomy in Canada but productivity had not returned to pre-decline levels of 1980 (Packer et al, 2009a). As already acknowledged, thousands of taxonomists are needed to describe newly collected morphological distinct species as well as species discovered as the result of DNA barcoding (Wheeler et al, 2012).…”

“…Also the discovered "new species" only add to the taxonomic impediment if the species are not formally described (e.g., Brower, 2010;Pinheiro et al, 2019). Incorporation of taxonomists from the start of a DNA barcoding project would alleviate many of the mentioned issues, as observed in the more informative barcoding studies (e.g., Trewick, 2008;Packer et al, 2009a).…”

Guide to the Parasites of Fishes of Canada Part V: Nematoda

“…Evolutionary relationships between nematodes and other animals have also been explored (Blair et al 2002;Dunn et al 2008). Ribosomal and mitochondrial sequences including barcodes (Hebert et al 2003;Ferri et al 2009;Packer et al 2009) have proven especially useful in alpha taxonomy (Miller 2007;Schlick-Steiner et al 2010). DNA and allozyme data are particularly valuable in studies requiring species level identification of larval stages or in investigations of cryptic species where morphological criteria alone do not permit identification to species level.…”

A note on the status of Galba occulta Jackiewicz, 1959 (Gastropoda: Hygrophila: Lymnaeidae)

“…Usefulness of Hebert's barcoding in taxonomy was supported by many authors (e.g. tautz et al 2003, GReGoRy 2005, PackeR et al 2009, GoLdstein & desaLLe 2011 with some suggestion that the threshold should be higher for stylommatophoran gastropods (daVison et al 2009, saueR & hausdoRF 2012. However schniebs et al (2016) decided that COI sequences could not be used in stagnicoline lymnaeid taxonomy and excluded this gene from their molecular studies (e.g.…”