The impact of taxonomic change on conservation: Does it kill, can it save, or is it just irrelevant?
Morrison, W.R.; Lohr, J.L.; Duchen, P.; Wilches, R.; Trujillo, D.; Mair, M.; Renner, S.S. (2009). The impact of taxonomic change on conservation: Does it kill, can it save, or is it just irrelevant? Biol. Conserv. 142(12): 3201-3206. https://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2009.07.019
In: Biological Conservation. Elsevier: Barking. ISSN 0006-3207; e-ISSN 1873-2917, more
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| Keyword |
Classification > Taxonomy
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| Author keywords |
Conservation efforts; Impact of taxonomy; Splitting; Lumping |
| Authors | | Top |
- Morrison, W.R.
- Lohr, J.L.
- Duchen, P.
- Wilches, R.
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- Trujillo, D.
- Mair, M.
- Renner, S.S.
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| Abstract |
The important question of taxonomy and its impact on conservation efforts was brought to general attention by Robert May in 1990 with a News and Views article in Nature entitled “Taxonomy as destiny.” Taxonomy, however, has built-in instabilities that result in name changes, raising the question of whether name changes have a consistent impact on conservation efforts. Our review investigates three possible outcomes of taxonomic change, namely a positive impact on protection efforts, a hampering impact, or no measurable impact. We address these cases with a review of the relevant literature: specifically, government and conservation agency reports, scientific papers, and the general press, as well as correspondence with biologists active in plant and animal conservation. We found no evidence of a consistent effect of taxonomic change on conservation, although splitting taxa may tend to increase protection, and name changes may have the least effect where they concern charismatic organisms. |
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