Higher Education

David StreeterUniversity of Sussex

What’s in a Name? – Taxonomy and Biodiversity

Inspiring New Naturalists and Taxonomists

Some conclusions of House of Lords Report

Perceptions of state of systematic biology in universities

“almost extinct in universities” (BSBI)

(of mycology) “it has declined catastrophically”, “there are no, effectively, no fungal systematists ….. employed in UK universities” (European Mycological Association)

“There are no lichen taxonomists left in British universities” (British Lichen Society)

“near-elimination of taxonomists from the university sector in the UK” (Systematics Association)

‘we have reached a stage where there are no lichen taxonomists left in British universities and no research students.’

‘Sadly, by early 2009 there will be only one professional lichen taxonomist left in the UK’

A.Fletcher (2008) British Lichen Society Bulletin

Decline in lichen taxonomy

Reasons for decline in universities

Changing nature of biology

Recruitment

Funding

‘One of the key drivers of the decline in taxonomy at UK universities has been the RAE (Research Assessment Exercise)’ (6.10)

Some conclusions of House of Lords Report

RAE and REF metrics

I PublicationsPublications rated by ‘Impact Factors’

II Grant IncomeTaxonomic research relatively inexpensive

Subject low on research council priority list

III Post-graduate StudentsLargely dependent upon research council allocations

31

35

45

Number of ‘acceptable’

journals

221

157

275

Numbers of journals in category

334Neurosciences

338Cell Biology

752Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Number that are review journals

Number of journals with

IF > 5Subject Area

Source: ISI Web of Knowledge

Journal Impact Factors by Subject Groupings

20228Biodiversity and Conservation

00041Palaeontology

00018Ornithology

549156Plant sciences

000125Zoology

02272Entomology

8210124Ecology

Journal of Animal Ecology 4.2

Journal of Applied Ecology 4.6

Journal of Ecology 4.3

Zoological J. of Linnean Society 2.10

Botanical J. of Linnean Society 1.19

Journal of Bryology 0.81

Lichenologist 1.28

Systematic Botany 1.40

Taxon 2.36

Systematic Entomology 1.81

Ibis 1.44

Cell 31.25

Journal Impact Factors

‘The Committee recommends that in developing the replacement mechanism for the RAE – the Research Excellence Framework – HEFCE should take into consideration the way that citation-based metrics disadvantage systematic biology and also the bias that that would be introduced if grants-based metrics were employed, given that pure taxonomy is not deemed fundable by the Research Councils. It is essential that criteria appropriate to systematic biology research should be incorporated into the new mechanism’. (6.14)

Some conclusions of House of Lords Report

1st year Botany undergraduates (C2)

0

10

20

30

40

50

60

70

1996 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

1st. Year Zoology undergraduates (C3)

0

200

400

600

800

1,000

1,200

1,400

1996 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008

1st year Undergraduates 2008

C Biological Sciences (all) 35,598

C1 Biology 4,628

C2 Botany 22

C3 Zoology 1,289

C4 Genetics 450

C5 Microbiology 354

C7 Molecular Biology, Biochemistry 2,368

1st year Undergraduates 2008

C Biological Sciences (all) 35,598

C1 Biology 4,628

C2 Botany 22

C3 Zoology 1,289

C4 Genetics 450

C5 Microbiology 354

C7 Molecular Biology, Biochemistry 2,368

c.5,900

500520540560580600620640660680

1991 1995 1999 2001 2008

British Lichen SocietyMembership

Botanical Society of the British IslesMembership

1957 1,231

1960 1,253

1967 1,723

2008 2,960

UK Membership of British Botanical Societies

BLS BBS

Academic departments 14 26

Museums/botanical gardens 9 19

Research institutes 2

UK Membership of British Botanical Societies

Botanical Society of the British Isles 2722

British Bryological Society 449

British Lichen Society 359

BBS + BLS 65

BSBI + BBS + BLS 37 (of whom only4 have academic addresses)

Post-Graduate Taught Courses

Universities: 20 (out of 141)

Courses:

Conservation, Ecology 37

of which:

with ID as significant component 16

specifically Taxonomy, Systematics 4

Identification and Survey Skills course

Special taxonomic group

Membership of appropriate learned society

Sussex Wildlife Trust prize

University of Sussex

MSc Biodiversity Survey

Special Taxonomic Groups 2005-2008

Bryophytes 8

Beetles (Carabids, Water-beetles) 4 Lichens

Spiders 3

Grasses, sedges, rushesReptiles, amphibiansBugs 2 Hymenoptera Molluscs

Caddis-flies 1 Macro-Lepidoptera

Size of HEFCE ‘R’ stream informed by RAE (now REF)

RAE value and ratings depends on metrics e.g. publications,grant income, numbers of post-graduates

I Research

3 sources: HEFCE Research Councils Private sector

II Teaching Undergraduate Postgraduate

Funding