Taxonomy & Systematics
UK Taxonomy & Systematics Review underway
17 Jun 2011 - The Review has now been published.
A recent House of Lords report 
on the state of taxonomy and systematics highlighted a series of concerns about the health of the discipline in the UK and its ability to support the needs of its user communities. In response NERC, acting on behalf of all research funders in this area, has set up the UK Taxonomy & Systematics Review. Its remit is:
- To review the current status of and trends in UK taxonomy and systematics, including the nature of current funding and the size of the workforce.
- To assess the current and anticipated future needs for the outputs of taxonomy and systematics by the full range of its user communities.
- To produce recommendations for a future UK Taxonomy & Systematics Strategy.
The Review will cover all aspects of taxonomy (including phylogenetics, revisionary taxonomy, identification) and both living and fossil organisms. It will consider professional taxonomy wherever conducted in the UK, and also the role of amateur scientists. Though focused on the UK, it will be aware of the international dimension within which the field operates. It will consider research, national capability and training (though only at tertiary levels).
The Review will be undertaken by an Expert Working Group (EWG) supported by a Project Team that will collect data and information, and provide a secretariat. After an open competition the Natural History Museum, acting in the capacity of a consultancy, won the contract to provide the Project Team which will be led by Professor Geoff Boxshall. The EWG, chaired by Professor Charles Godfray, has been appointed and met for the first time on 13 November 2009.
The full membership of the EWG is:
- Professor Charles Godfray FRS
University of Oxford (Chair) - Professor Michael Akam FRS
University of Cambridge - Professor Mark Bailey
NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology - Professor Mark Blaxter
University of Edinburgh - Professor Mark Chase FRS
Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew - Professor Richard Fortey FRS
Natural History Museum (retired) - Dr Sandy Knapp
Natural History Museum - Dr Ian McLean
Joint Nature Conservation Committee (retired) - Professor Geoff Boxshall FRS
Leader, Project Team (ex officio)
The first phase of the project will involve the Project Team collating existing information and conducting systematic surveys to obtain the evidence base to assess the state of the UK taxonomy and systematics community and the requirements of its user communities. Using this information, and supported by the Project Team, the EWG will develop a 'white paper' on what might constitute a UK Taxonomy & Systematics Strategy.
All interested parties will be invited to comment on the different options, including at an open meeting, 23 April 2010. Based on this consultation the final report will be written and submitted to NERC.
Contact
Geoff Boxshall
NHM Project Leader
About the programme
External links