21 st C Taxonomy: accelerating research and discovery of Australia’s biodiversity

1. 21stC Taxonomy: accelerating research and discovery of Australia’s biodiversity Judy West Centre of Plant Biodiversity Research

2. Partners Core partners • Australian National Herbarium (ANH), CPBR, CSIRO Plant Industry • Judy West, Jim Croft, Greg Whitbread, Brendan Lepschi, Bernard Pfeil • Australian National Insect Collection (ANIC), CSIRO Entomology • David Yeates, John LaSalle, Steve Shattuck • Australian National Wildlife Collection (ANWC), CSIRO Sustainable Ecosystems • Leo Joseph, Ken Aplin, Margaret Cawsey • Australian Biological Resources Study (ABRS) • Cameron Slatyer • Australian National University • John Trueman, Mike Crisp Canberra centred with links Australia wide Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

3. Partners and Collaborators Primary Collaborators and Research Partners • LaTrobe University (Wodonga) – Phil Suter • Adelaide University – Andy Austin, Alan Cooper • South Australian Museum – Steve Donnellan • James Cook University – Ross Crozier • Curtin University – Jonathon Major • WA Herbarium (DEC) – Kevin Thiele • Qld Dept. of Primary Industries and Fisheries – Michael Day • EPA Victoria – John Dean • Vic. Dept. Sustainability & Environment – Peter Vollebergh • Murray-Darling Fresh Water Research Centre – John Hawking 6 universities incorporating identification products in undergrad courses Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

4. Goals • Addressing critical taxonomic knowledge gaps in key Australian animal and plant groups important for effective environmental management • Increase Australia’s capacity in taxonomy • Change taxonomic work practices • Development of generalised information framework • Web-based approaches for knowledge delivery Accelerating rate of description, documentation and understanding Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

5. Target groups Criteria: • Groups in which lack of taxonomic knowledge currently hinders aspects of environmental management • Improved knowledge will lead to environmental benefits • Critical subject areas currently lacking expertise • Opportunities to develop national collaborative research arrangements • Nationally significant and widespread groups • Groups with recognised end-user communities * aquatic macroinvertebrates * ants * small terrestrial vertebrates * environmental weeds More effective impact through a targeted approach Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

6. Taxonomy of Australian Ants • Focus on large widespread genera – Iridomyrmex, Campanotus and Monomorium • Morphology – basic taxonomic documentation • Molecular datasets assist to • distinguish cryptic species • clarify status of ecotypes • Tools for identification and delivery of biological information • New edition of Australian Ants • Species web pages for c. 1500 species of Australian ants • Applications – • Environmental surveys • Conservation activities • Ecological monitoring • Rapid identification for quarantine Coordinator: Steve Shattuck steve.shattuck@csiro.au Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

7. Clarifying taxonomic status of Australia’s Small Terrestrial Vertebrates • Focus on cryptic diversity in reptiles and small mammals • Morphology and molecular data – • resolve taxonomic challenges in several genera, e.g. marsupial mice (Planigale) and legless lizards (Aprasia) • Ancient DNA from cave deposit bones, owl scats & specimens – • Reveal diversity and relationships of extinct and threatened mammals to target surviving populations • Applications – • Environmental surveys • Conservation prioritisation & reintroductions • Ecological monitoring Coordinator: Ken Aplin ken.aplin@csiro.au Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

8. Environmental Weeds - taxonomy and genetics • Focus on Weeds of National Significance (WONS) • Species where there exists a taxonomic impediment to developing effective control strategies • willows and lantana • Population genetics and molecular studies (microsatellites) to • Identify complex history of lantana in Australia • Identify progenitors • Determine distinct genetic races • Understanding identity, diversity and origins • targeted development of effective control agents Coordinator: Judy West judy.west@csiro.au Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

9. Taxonomy of Aquatic Macroinvertebrates • Focus on mayflies (e.g. Ephemeroptera), aquatic moths (Pyralidae) and stoneflies and caddisflies • Morphology - basic taxonomic documentation • DNA barcoding – link different life history stages of same species • Tools for identification and delivery of biological information • Interactive keys • Nymph and adult descriptive web pages • Applications – • Environmental water quality monitoring • Conservation activities Coordinator: Phil Suter P.Suter@latrobe.edu.au Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

10. Informatics Framework www.taxonomy.org.au • Develop taxonomic information management infrastructure to: • support the research, • manage the data and • assist delivery of results • Standardising and generalising the taxonomic process and delivering results in flexible and efficient ways • Contemporary biodiversity information standards and protocols • New data integrated with national and international projects • Store data in repositories for multiple use and delivery • Digital taxonomic data will be mobilised • Taxonomists to use collaborative Wiki (editable) websites Changing taxonomic work practices Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

11. Web-based approach • Identification systems - • Insect families – 640 Australian families • Plant genera – c. 1200 genera • Existing interactive identification systems will be web-based and regionalised • Tools for ants, weeds, aquatic macroinverts • Data will feed into • NCRIS funded Atlas of Living Australia • Australia’s Biological Information Facility (ABIF) to GBIF Accelerating rate of description, documentation and understanding Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

12. End-user linkages and delivery of results • End-user communities involved in each major project • Specialist knowledgebrokers • Work with communities • Translate complex taxonomic information into practical applications • Workshops • Regionally located with local participants • University undergraduate courses to test near-final interactive products • Acceptance by taxonomists of collaborative taxonomy computing – Wiki research Emphasis on web-based approaches for knowledge delivery Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis

13. Challenges • Locating suitable early career scientists and graduate students • Projects selected for their significance in providing environmental benefits • Taxonomy at different levels – above and below species • Scientific – different approaches to taxonomic research • Alpha taxonomy – inventory and documentation • Combining morphology and molecular datasets  phylogenetic hypotheses • Population genetics and molecular (microsatellites) to identify genetic entities • Informatics – providing the framework for varying levels of taxonomic information • Getting taxonomists to change the way they do business • Linking to other CERF activities …. We have many …. Insert presentation title, do not remove CSIRO from start of footerCSIRO: Herbarium Collections and Biodiversity Analysis