<
https://theconversation.com/australia-has-hundreds-of-mammal-species-we-want-to-find-them-all-before-theyre-gone-185495>
"Life on Earth is undergoing a period of mass extinction – the sixth in
history, and the first caused by humans. As species disappear at an alarming
rate, we have learned that we understand only a fraction of Earth’s variety of
life.
The task of describing this biodiversity before it is lost relies on the
discipline of taxonomy, the scientific practice of classifying and naming
organisms.
But taxonomy is far more than just naming things. It underpins an enormous
range of human activities, including biology (via health and conservation
management), the economy (via agriculture and biosecurity) and many other areas
of endeavour.
Unfortunately, taxonomy is suffering globally from reduced support and funding.
This is an area of ongoing concern recognised in Australia’s
State of the
Environment report released in July this year. The workforce of taxonomists
has declined when it is needed most."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
