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National Taxonomy ForumSydney, October 2007

High-throughput, high-quality alpha taxonomy

underpinning land management in Western Australia

Kevin ThieleWestern Australian Herbarium

Department of Environment and Conservation


Context (1)

Western Australia:

Known vascular plant taxa 13,089

Conservation taxa 2,622 20%

Known undescribed taxa 1,743 13%Undescribed conservation taxa 520 30%

+ est. 10-15% more


Context (2)

The Western Australian Herbarium – part of the Department of Environment and Conservation


Context (3)


Context (4)

Undescribed (phrase-named) taxa

Have status under legislation, but…

•Uncertain taxonomic status•Often difficult to identify•Usually poorly known


Context (5)

Numbers of new taxa described by year

0

100

200

300

400

500

60017

53

1773

1790

1803

1813

1823

1834

1844

1854

1864

1874

1884

1894

1905

1915

1925

1935

1945

1955

1965

1975

1985

1995

2005

Year

Num

ber o

f tax

a


Saving Our Species

2-year, $15 million State-funded biodiversity rescue program to boost the conservation of

Western Australia’s unique plants, animals and ecosystems…

…tackling key conservation issues where significant long-term results can be achieved from

a short-term, strategic focus


Saving Our Species

2-year, $15 million State-funded biodiversity rescue program to boost the conservation of

Western Australia’s unique plants, animals and ecosystems…

…to resolve the taxonomy and expedite the scientific description of unnamed vascular plant taxa in Western Australia, especially those that may be vulnerable to future mining activities.

…to deploy in FloraBase interactive keys to the flora of Western Australia


Saving Our Species Taxonomy

Juliet WegeKelly ShepherdRyonen Butcher

High throughout, high-quality alpha taxonomy of Banded Ironstone conservation taxa


Saving Our Species TaxonomyAchievements

Collaboration with >70 Australian and international botanists

45 papers in a special, bumper edition of Nuytsia

95 newly described taxa, in 21 families and 33 genera

78 of these are conservation taxa, of which 39 are new to the State schedule

3 highly skilled, enthusiastic and experienced new taxonomists


Saving Our Species TaxonomyAchievements

Improvements to Florabase to allow flexible addition of new content

…towards a full electronic Flora of Western Australia

…interactive keys to200 Families1050 genera

…key publication protocols and architecture


Saving Our Species TaxonomyIssues

The significance of alpha taxonomy and identification is obvious to the funders and the public…

…but, both depend on revisionary taxonomy – and this is harder to sell

…need to point out that these projects picked the cherries

…higher-level systematics played a minor role


Saving Our Species TaxonomyConclusion

Seen as successful, high-profile projects

Continuing … but still short term

Strengthen arguments for longer term (permanent) positions

Opens doors to non-Government funding sources

high-throughput, high-quality alpha taxonomy … · ppt file · web viewhigh-throughput,...

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