Widespread support for a global species list with a formal governance system

Aaron M. Lien, Olaf Banki, Saroj K. Barik, John S. Buckeridge, Les Christidis, María Marta Cigliano, Stijn Conix, Mark John Costello, Donald Hobern, Paul M. Kirk, Andreas Kroh, Narelle Montgomery, Svetlana Nikolaeva, Thomas M. Orrell, Richard L. Pyle, Lauren Raz, Kevin Thiele, Scott A. Thomson, Peter Paul van Dijk, Nina WambijiAnthony Whalen, Frank E. Zachos, Zhi Qiang Zhang, Stephen T. Garnett

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

2 Scopus citations

Abstract

Taxonomicdataareascientificcommon.Unlikenomenclature, which has strong governance institutions, there are currently no generally accepted governance institutions for the compilation of taxonomic data into an accepted global list. This gap results in challenges for conservation, ecological research, policymaking, international trade, and other areas of scientific and societal importance. Consensus on a global list and its management requires effective governance and standards, including agreed mechanisms for choosing among competing taxonomies and partial lists. However, governance frameworks are currently lacking, and a call for governance in 2017 generated critical responses. Any governance system to which compliance is voluntary requires a high level of legitimacy and credibility among those by and for whom it is created. Legitimacy and credibility, in turn, require adequate and credible consultation. Here, we report on the results of a global survey of taxonomists, scientists from other disciplines, and users of taxonomy designed to assess views and test ideas for a new system of taxonomic list governance. We found a surprisingly high degree of agreement on the need for a global list of accepted species and their names, and consistent views on what such a list should provide to users and how it should be governed. The survey suggests that consensus on a mechanism to create, manage, and govern a single widely accepted list of all the world’s species is achievable. This finding was unexpected given past controversies about the merits of list governance.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere2306899120
JournalProceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
Volume120
Issue number45
DOIs
StatePublished - 2023

Keywords

  • classification
  • governance
  • species lists
  • taxonomists survey
  • taxonomy

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • General

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