Ellalyn B. De Vera Manila Bulletin 2 Dec 10;
MANILA, Philippines – Taxonomy, the practice and science of classifying organisms, and taxonomists appear to be in danger of becoming an endangered species. And this doesn’t bode well for biodiversity and the protection of coral reefs.
This is apparently the reason why the ASEAN Center for Biodiversity (ACB) and Japan’s Ministry of Environment vowed to address the increasing risk of coral reef destruction in the region from damaging human activities and climate change by boosting the region's taxonomic capacities.
ACB executive director Rodrigo Fuentes said ASEAN region is home to 34 percent of the world’s coral reefs.
Fuentes said there is a need to boost the ASEAN countries’ taxonomic capacities on corals to address changing climate and harsh human activities.
“Taxonomy, which forms an important basis for biology and the protection of biodiversity, is in peril. The last few decades saw the discipline of taxonomy falling off the global political, funding, and academic agenda,” Fuentes said.
To boost the ASEAN region’s taxonomic capacities and save the dying science of taxonomy, the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity (ACB), in partnership with Japan’s Ministry of Environment, will conduct a series of training workshops that will enhance the capabilities of ASEAN+3 countries in the understanding and application of taxonomic knowledge in the context of sustainable biodiversity conservation and management.
ASEAN+3 include the 10 ASEAN member-states, Japan, China, and Korea.
“Taxonomists, like many endangered species, are not increasing in numbers. There is a dire need to revive interest in taxonomy. The diminishing status of this science and profession is crippling the ASEAN member-states’ and other Asian countries’ capacity to effectively catalogue our biological resources,” Fuentes said.
“We are all aware that without knowledge and understanding of species, it would be difficult to plan and implement biodiversity conservation efforts. But we believe that taxonomy is one of the fundamental tools required by our global community to implement the Millennium Development Goals (MDG) and the development targets set by the World Summit for Sustainable Development,” he added.
Fuentes said the workshops are part of a project on “Taxonomic Capacity Building and Governance for Conservation and Sustainable Use of Biodiversity” funded by the Japan-ASEAN Integration Fund.
The first in the series will focus on corals taxonomy and will be held on December 4 to 8 in Penang, in cooperation with the University Sains Malaysia (UMS). Experts from the UMS, Kyoto University of Japan, and Phuket Marine Biological Centre will serve as resource persons.
