The conservation imperative and setting plant taxonomic research priorities in South Africa

Abstract

For more than a decade it has been internationally recognised that efforts should be made to remedy the concern that taxonomy is an endangered discipline in the grips of rapid decline. In acknowledgement of the perceived continuing marginalisation of taxonomy, the Darwin Declaration recognised the need to enhance the taxonomic capacity of members who are party to the CBD, and beyond. South Africa is one of the most biodiversity rich countries globally, and the unique and rich flora of the country brings with it a significant conservation imperative. Although the country, and southern African sub-region for that matter, has a strong history of taxonomic endeavour, stretching back for over a century, it also suffers from a lack of human and other resources to adequately address its taxonomic needs. This inevitably calls for a process of priority-setting to ensure the wise use of available funding. As one example, it is shown that 1,009 indigenous South African plant taxa are regarded as Data Deficient for taxonomic reasons, following the completion of a recent comprehensive Red Listing exercise. Although not the only criterion to be considered when prioritising taxonomic research, efforts focused on these groups represent a significant opportunity for taxonomists to align their work with national priorities.