Taxonomist

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Taxonomist

Taxonomy is the naming, describing, and classification of all living organisms and fossils. It is an important part of systematics, the field of biology that deals with the diversity of life. There are three main schools of taxonomy:

Phenetic taxonomy—which classifies organisms based on overall form and structure or genetic similarity, also called numerical taxonomy;
Cladistic taxonomy—which classifies organisms strictly based on branching points, focuses on shared, relatively recent (not of ancient origin) characteristics that are common to the species being studied, also called phylogenetic taxonomy; and
Evolutionary taxonomy—which classifies organisms based on a combination of branching and divergence, also called traditional taxonomy.

Taxonomists collect plants and animals, study them, and group them according to patterns of variation. Taxonomists study plants and animals in nature, laboratories, and museums. Several million species of animals and over 325,000 species of plants are presently known. It is estimated that between several million and 30 million species await discovery. Animal species are included in the International Code of Zoological Nomenclature, a document that also contains the rules for assigning scientific names to animals.

Some taxonomists study the scientific basis of classifications so they can better understand evolution. Others study the ever-changing aspects of nature, such as the processes that lead to new species or the ways that species interact. Other taxonomists study the human impacts on the environment and on other species. Some taxonomists screen plants for compounds that can be used for drugs. Others are involved in controlling pests and diseases among plant and animal crops. Many taxonomists have teaching careers. They may work in colleges and universities. They teach classes, teach students how to conduct research, and conduct their own research in their particular area of interest. An important part of the research is writing up the results for publication.

Taxonomists are generally employed by universities, museums, federal and state agencies, zoos, private industries, and botanical gardens. Universities with large plant or animal collections often hire taxonomists as curators to maintain the collections and conduct research on them. Federal and state agencies employ taxonomists in many fields including public health, agriculture, wildlife management, and forestry. Industries that employ taxonomists include agricultural processors, pharmaceutical companies, oil companies, and commercial suppliers of plants and animals.

At the high-school level, persons interested in becoming taxonomists should study mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, geology, English, writing, and computer studies. Although there are career opportunities for taxonomists with bachelor's degrees, most professionals have either a master's or doctoral (Ph.D.) degree. Undergraduate degrees can be obtained in biology, botany, or zoology. Graduate students focus specifically on taxonomy. They study population biology, genetics , evolution, ecology, biogeography, chemistry, computers, and statistics.