| Abstract Detail
Systematics Section Knapp, Sandra [1], Walley, Lisa [1], Bohs, Lynn [2]. Accelerating global taxonomy - the Solanum Planetary Biodiversity Inventory experience. The pace of taxonomic research is not keeping up with demand for taxonomic information – creating what is known as the “taxonomic impediment”. Many solutions to this problem have been proposed, ranging from the purely technological to largely people-centred. The National Science Foundation established the Planetary Biodiversity Inventory programme in 2002 with the aim to accelerate taxonomic research with a series of "mission[s] to an (almost) unknown planet”. Projects funded by the PBI programme were to be global in scope, focused on the species-level taxonomy of a monophyletic group, undertake new research, and to be presented on-line. Here we will discuss our own PBI project “PBI Solanum: a worldwide treatment” in terms of its success in accelerating work on the taxonomy of one of the largest genera of flowering plants and in terms of the use of this sort of model for accelerating taxonomy in general. Speeding up scientific research can cause problems as well as providing solutions. We will particularly explore issues associated with working as large dispersed teams, presenting taxonomic information on-line and with the maintenance of such in-demand information for the long-term.
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Related Links:
Solanaceae Source
1 - Natural History Museum, Department of Botany, Cromwell Road, London, SW7 5BD, England
2 - University of Utah, Department of Biology, 257 South 1400 East, Salt Lake City, Utah, 84112, USA
Keywords:
web taxonomy
Solanum
Solanaceae
global collaboration.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for BSA Sections
Session: 47
Location: Magpie A/Cliff Lodge - Level B
Date: Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
Time: 1:15 PM
Number: 47002
Abstract ID:87 |
