A return-on-investment approach for prioritization of rigorous taxonomic research needed to inform responses to the biodiversity crisis

Melville, Jane and Chapple, David G. and Keogh, J. Scott and Sumner, Joanna and Amey, Andrew and Bowles, Phil and Brennan, Ian G. and Couper, Patrick and Donnellan, Stephen C. and Doughty, Paul and Edwards, Danielle L. and Ellis, Ryan J. and Esquerré, Damien and Fenker, Jéssica and Gardner, Michael G. and Georges, Arthur and Haines, Margaret L. and Hoskin, Conrad J. and Hutchinson, Mark and Moritz, Craig and Nankivell, James and Oliver, Paul and Pavón-Vázquez, Carlos J. and Pepper, Mitzy and Rabosky, Daniel L. and Sanders, Kate and Shea, Glenn and Singhal, Sonal and Worthington Wilmer, Jessica and Tingley, Reid and Dobson, Andy P. (2021) A return-on-investment approach for prioritization of rigorous taxonomic research needed to inform responses to the biodiversity crisis. PLOS Biology, 19 (6). e3001210. ISSN 1545-7885

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Abstract

Global biodiversity loss is a profound consequence of human activity. Disturbingly, biodiversity loss is greater than realized because of the unknown number of undocumented species. Conservation fundamentally relies on taxonomic recognition of species, but only a fraction of biodiversity is described. Here, we provide a new quantitative approach for prioritizing rigorous taxonomic research for conservation. We implement this approach in a highly diverse vertebrate group—Australian lizards and snakes. Of 870 species assessed, we identified 282 (32.4%) with taxonomic uncertainty, of which 17.6% likely comprise undescribed species of conservation concern. We identify 24 species in need of immediate taxonomic attention to facilitate conservation. Using a broadly applicable return-on-investment framework, we demonstrate the importance of prioritizing the fundamental work of identifying species before they are lost.

Item Type: Article
Subjects: Impact Archive > Biological Science
Depositing User: Managing Editor
Date Deposited: 03 Apr 2023 05:29
Last Modified: 04 Jul 2024 06:46
URI: http://research.sdpublishers.net/id/eprint/1013

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