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I understood

Taxonomic uncertainty and the challenge of estimating global species richness

16 Nov 2022 - Juliana Stropp, Department of Biogeography and Global Change, Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC), Madrid | 15h30 - Hybrid seminar
Taxonomic uncertainty and the challenge of estimating global species richness
CASUAL SEMINAR - WORKSHOP "BIODIVERSITY, KNOWLEDGE AND IGNORANCE”


Without taxonomy, ecological research is unthinkable. Key aspects of ecology, from understanding biodiversity to identifying conservation targets depend on how organisms are classified. Yet most sub-disciplines of ecology, including macroecology, treat taxonomy as static, while in reality, it is dynamic and subject to frequent change. In this talk, I will discuss the challenges of accounting for taxonomic change in macroecological analysis. I will show that by tracking the taxonomic history of species we can develop a more robust understanding of the current patterns of species richness and composition. The talk will conclude by proposing the types of taxonomic data that are most needed for macroecology. I will highlight the new opportunities that re-use and digital accessibility of taxonomic data can bring to biodiversity research and conservation. 

Juliana Stropp is an ecologist with 15 years of research experience in tropical biodiversity. Her current research bridges two disciplines that have long co-existed in relative isolation: macroecology and taxonomy. She explores how the dynamics of species discoveries and taxonomic re-classifications impact established biodiversity patterns. For this, she integrates information from field surveys, historical botanical monographs and large biodiversity databases. This work builds on her experience in conducting botanical surveys in the Amazonian rainforest and her analytical skills in biodiversity informatics. Juliana has followed an international career path and worked at the National Research Institute for Amazonian Research, Utrecht University, the Joint Research Centre of the European Commission, and the University of Alagoas. Since December 2019, she works at the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (MNCN-CSIC; Madrid, Spain) first as a Marie Curie fellow and then as a post-doctoral researcher.


[Host: Richard James Ladle, 21st Century Conservation Lab - LACOS21]


Click here to watch the seminar recording

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