Species Concepts
February 25, 2006
Brent D. Mishler and Bruce G. Baldwin
Location: Valley Life Sciences Building, UC Berkeley
We can understand, too, that natural species are chosen not because they are 'good to eat' but because they are 'good to think'. — Claude Levi Strauss
No clear line of demarcation has as yet been drawn between species and subspecies ... or, again between subspecies and well-marked varieties.... These differences blend into each other by an insensible series.... By steps hereafter to be explained, ... the forms of life throughout the universe become divided into groups subordinate to groups. — Charles Darwin
Of all the many levels in the Tree of Life, species present the most controversial and dynamic questions in biology. The species debate encompasses a variety of important issues in evolutionary biology: the processes driving diversification, the use of Linnaean ranks, conservation concerns, and the philosophical underpinnings of how we perceive and communicate biological diversity in general. This one-day workshop will introduce participants to the contentious realm of species. It will cover both theoretical and empirical issues. Topics covered will include a brief history of systematics, a review of the philosophical background of the species debate, a synopsis of current species concepts, and new ideas about rank-free classification. A number of interesting species-level case studies from current and ongoing research in the University and Jepson Herbaria will also be presented.
