This event is a Taxonomy & Systematics Committee Symposium at the Linnean Society of London which asks the question of whether specialists for key taxa are at risk of becoming extinct?’
It will bring together academic and practitioner/user communities involved in biological surveys to discuss examples of survey outcomes. A full programme of speakers will cover a number of aspects, including overviews from:
- NBN
- NERC
- CEH
- BRC
- A perspective from the RSPB on the State of Nature Report 2016
- Consideration of technologies such as apps and eDNA
- The contributions of Citizen Science and museum natural history collections (NatSCA)
- Approaches to training (NHM/AMC)
- A view from an environmental consultancy
- And insights from a number of specialist natural history societies and their experiences with biological surveys.
The day has the following aims:
- Explore where there may be actual/imminent gaps in expertise.
- Look at how surveys may be used to help secure the necessary pool of skills in identification and taxonomy.
- Explore the implications for non-specialists of new tools such as environmental DNA sequencing.
- Assess the impact of using apps on the accuracy of biological survey results.
- Reinforce the complementary role played by museum natural history collections, both in confirming identity in biological surveys, as well as in training.
Come and hear these presentations and participate in the discussion on how we can collectively contribute practical help to ensure the continuity of relevant expertise and appropriate quality control for biological surveys.
Registration
Registration is £10 and is now open on the Linnean Society website