The Promise of DNA Barcoding for Taxonomy

Clicks: 1
ID: 295296
2005
Article Quality & Performance Metrics
Overall Quality
Not rated
Combines reader engagement with the AI quality analysis. This article has not been analysed, so there is no overall score — reader engagement is measured and shown alongside.
AI Quality Assessment
Not analyzed
Readership in this journal

Ranked #78 of 112 articles by views in systematic biology

Most read Least read

Bar heights use a square-root scale.

Mint this article as an NFT
Not yet minted

Create a permanent, verifiable on-chain record of this article on the Scimatic Network. The NFT is held in your Journament account, and you can withdraw it to your own wallet at any time.

5 SUSD one-off · no wallet required
Abstract
DNA barcoding is a novel system designed to provide rapid, accurate, and automatable species identifications by using short, standardized gene regions as internal species tags. As a consequence, it will make the Linnaean taxonomic system more accessible, with benefits to ecologists, conservationists, and the diversity of agencies charged with the control of pests, invasive species, and food safety. More broadly, DNA barcoding allows a day to be envisioned when every curious mind, from professional biologists to schoolchildren, will have easy access to the names and biological attributes of any species on the planet. In addition to assigning specimens to known species, DNA barcoding will accelerate the pace of species discovery by allowing taxonomists to rapidly sort specimens and by highlighting divergent taxa that may represent new species. By augmenting their capabilities in these ways, DNA barcoding offers taxonomists the opportunity to greatly expand, and eventually complete, a global inventory of life’s diversity. Despite the potential benefits of DNA barcoding to both the practitioners and users of taxonomy, it has been controversial in some scientific circles (Wheeler, 2004; Will and Rubinoff, 2004; Ebach and Holdredge, 2005; Will et al., 2005). A few have even characterized DNA barcoding as being “anti-taxonomy,” arguing that its implementation will signal the death of a system 250 years in the making. We feel that this opposition stems from misconceptions about the DNA barcoding effort. As such, we welcome this opportunity to clarify both the rationale and potential impacts of DNA barcoding. In responding to this set of questions, we emphasize the multiple positive impacts of this approach for taxonomy and biodiversity science.
Reference Key
openalex_W2165339928 Use this key to autocite in the manuscript while using SciMatic Manuscript Manager or Thesis Manager
Authors Paul D. N. Hebert, T. Ryan Gregory
Journal systematic biology
Year 2005
DOI
10.1080/10635150500354886
URL
Keywords Keywords not found

Citations

No citations found. To add a citation, contact the admin at info@scimatic.org

No comments yet. Be the first to comment on this article.