Abstract
Ecologists and taxonomists have a common stake in the biodiversity enterprise but approach problems differently. Ecologists use structured designs to obtain multispecies samples and supporting information which they transform to data for analysis. Taxonomists obtain collections by less formal search, are specimen- rather than data-focused, target rare and undescribed species, and organize specimens and data by taxon with less attention to associated species and environmental data. Ecologists undervalue their contributions to taxonomic and distributional research. Taxonomists pass by the multispecies and negative occurrence data in collections. Complementarity of taxonomic and ecological approaches guarantees a stronger scientific product but effective collaboration requires continuing reciprocal involvement by both parties.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Baumann RW, Sheldon AL (1984) Capnia hornigi, a new stonefly from the western Great Basin (Plecoptera: Capniidae). Pan-Pac Entomol 60:30–32
Bottorff RL, Baumann RW (2015) Sierracapnia, a new genus of Capniidae (Plecoptera) from western North America. Illiesia 11:104–125
Costello MJ, Vanhoorne B, Appeltans W (2015) Conservation of biodiversity through taxonomy, data publication, and collaborative infrastructures. Conserv Biol 29:1094–1099
DeWalt RE, Maehr MD, Neu-Becker U, Stueber G (2015) Plecoptera species file online. Version 5.0/5.0. Accessed 15 August 2015
Duputié A, Zimmermann NE, Chuine I (2014) Where are the wild things? Why we need better data on species distribution. Glob Ecol Biogeogr 23:457–467
Evenhuis NL (2007) Helping solve the “other” taxonomic impediment: completing the eight steps to total enlightenment and taxonomic nirvana. Zootaxa 1407:3–12
Gill BA, Harrington RA, Kondratieff BC, Zamudio KR, Poff NL, Funk WC (2014) Morphological taxonomy, DNA barcoding, and species diversity in southern Rocky Mountain headwater streams. Freshw Sci 33:288–301
Gotelli NJ (2004) A taxonomic wish-list for community ecology. Phil Trans R Soc Lond B 359:585–597
Grubbs SA, Baumann RW, Sheldon AL (2015) A review of eastern nearctic Zapada with a new species from the Great Smoky Mountains (Plecoptera, Nemouridae). Freshw Sci 34:1312–1323. doi:10.1086/683037
Halme P, Heilmann-Clausen J, Rämä T, Kosonen T, Kunttu P (2012) Monitoring fungal biodiversity—toward an integrated approach. Fungal Ecol 5:750–758
Halme P, Kuusela S, Juslén A (2015) Why taxonomists and ecologists are not, but should be, carpooling? Biodivers Conserv 24:1831–1836
Holsinger JR (1974) Systematics of the subterranean amphipod genus Stygobromus (Gammaridae) Part I: species of the western United States. Smithson Contr Zool 160:1–61
Inger RF, Chin PK (1962) The fresh-water fishes of North Borneo. Fieldiana: Zool 45:1–268
Jewett SG Jr (1960) The stoneflies (Plecoptera) of California. Bull Calif Ins Surv 6:125–178
Jewett SG Jr (1966) Some species of Capnia from western North America (Plecoptera). Wasmann J Biol 24:101–108
Kondratieff BC, Lee JJ, Baumann RW (2010) Stonefly (Plecoptera) collecting at Sagehen Creek Field Station during the ninth North American Plecoptera symposium. Perla 28:11–14
Macfadyen A (1963) Animal ecology: aims and methods. Pitman, New York
Pauls SU, Alp M, Bálint M, Bernabò P, Čiampor F Jr, Čiamporová-Zatovičová Z, Finn DS, Kohout J, Leese F, Lencioni V, Paz-Vinas I, Monaghan MT (2014) Integrating molecular tools into freshwater ecology: developments and opportunities. Freshw Biol 59:1559–1576
Poulton BC, Stewart KW (1991) The stoneflies of the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains (Plecoptera). Mem Am Entomol Soc 38:1–116
Schultheis AS, Booth JY, Perlmutter LR, Bond JE, Sheldon AL (2012) Phylogeography and species biogeography of montane Great Basin stoneflies. Mol Ecol 21:3325–3340
Sheldon AL (1972) Comparative ecology of Arcynopteryx and Diura (Plecoptera) in a California stream. Arch Hydrobiol 69:521–546
Sheldon AL (2011) Comparative habitat use by grazing fishes in a Bornean stream. Environ Biol Fish 92:381–390
Sheldon AL (2012) Possible climate-induced shift of stoneflies in a southern Appalachian catchment. Freshw Sci 31:765–774
Sheldon AL, Jewett SG Jr (1967) Stonefly emergence from a Sierra Nevada stream (Plecoptera). Pan-Pac Entomol 43:1–8
Sheldon AL, Theischinger G (2009) Stoneflies (Plecoptera) in a tropical Australian stream: diversity, distribution and seasonality. Illiesia 5:40–50
Sheldon AL, Warren ML (2009) Filters and templates: stonefly (Plecoptera) richness in Ouachita Mountains streams. Freshw Biol 54:943–956
Stark BP, Sivec I (2008) Rhopalopsole mataikan (Plecoptera: Leuctridae), a new stonefly from Brunei Darussalam. Illiesia 4:139–142
Wege JA, Thiele KR, Shepherd KA, Butcher R, Macfarlane TD, Coates DJ (2015) Strategic taxonomy in a biodiverse landscape: a novel approach to maximizing conservation outcomes for rare and poorly known flora. Biodivers Conserv 24:17–32
Wells A (2010) Australian species of the genus Agapetus (Trichoptera: Glossosomatidae), with descriptions of 13 new species. Zootaxa 2420:1–25
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Communicated by David Hawksworth.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Sheldon, A.L. Mutualism (carpooling) of ecologists and taxonomists. Biodivers Conserv 25, 187–191 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-1032-3
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10531-015-1032-3