The role of systematics for understanding ecosystem functions: Proceedings of the Zoologica Scripta Symposium, Oslo, Norway, 25 August 2022

Abstract

On 25 August 2022, the Zoologica Scripta -An International Journal of Systematic Zoology and the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters arranged a symposium entitled 'The role of systematics for understanding ecosystem functions' in the Academy's premises in Oslo, Norway. The symposium aimed at offering a forum for exploring and discussing trends and future developments in the field of systematics. Eleven international experts contributed expertise on various issues related to global challenges, such as biodiversity assessments, databases, cuttingedge analysis tools, and the consequences of the taxonomic impediment. Here, we compiled a multi-author proceedings paper of the symposium contributions

The wealth of shared resources: Improving molecular taxonomy using eDNA and public databases

“…Though time itself is a precious resource in our modern world, maintaining and improving these public databases is a task achievable without personal access to expensive computational equipment, thanks to publicly accessible servers. The large-scale revisions to GenBank that are implied by Pappalardo & Osborn in Bachmann et al (2023) and this study may initially seem daunting, but with simple protocols and a widespread devotion of just a small amount of time, the mountain of data could become far more manageable, and result in not just a "fixed" database, but one fundamentally better than before.…”

“…A primary concern explicated by this analysis – and by Pappalardo & Osborn in Bachmann et al (2023) – is the number of misattributed sequences in GenBank: sequences identified as belonging to, in some cases, a different phyla owing to the nature of eDNA studies. In our initial BLAST analysis, we rejected 283 of the 631 test sequences (44.8%) identified as Tardigrada 18S (Table S1).…”

“…From a scientific and environmental perspective, this can help us target future sampling whilst economically using the data we have, especially in the case of rare and remote habitats. Frequent maintenance and revision of sequences identities can help us identify a variety of errors and contaminants that, though rare in public genetic databases, are no doubt both present – often due to morphological taxonomy – and could potentially mislead researchers in future work (Bachmann et al, 2023).…”

“…As outlined by Pappalardo & Osborn in Bachmann et al (2023) keeping public databases updated in line with current taxonomic understanding is important. From a convenience and usability perspective, well-kept and frequently revised databases can both aid with the identification of new genetic material and provide new uses for older material.…”

“…In order to explore future trends in biosystematics, the Zoologica Scripta and the Norwegian Academy of Sciences and Letters (DNVA), organized in August 2022 a symposium entitled 'The role of systematics for understanding ecosystem functions'. We particularly appreciated that many of the speakers at the symposium contributed to a special proceedings paper (see contributions by Bachmann et al (2023) and Glaubrecht (2023) this issue) summarizing the major issues discussed at the meeting.…”