Ecogeographic Surveys

It is crucial to have a good understanding of the taxonomy of the target group so that the ecogeographic data collected can be located and then meaningfully recorded, interpreted and analysed.

Determine the accepted classification of the target group

A number of sources are used here: taxonomic specialists, floras, monographs, recent revisions of the group, and various taxonomic studies which use both morphological and other types of data (e.g. molecular data). These will help determine the currently accepted classification of the group.

If the purpose of the survey is ultimately to conserve the maximum genetic variation in the target group, then a classification system based on the biological species concept may be more appropriate. This is because traditionally, classification systems have concentrated on morphological characteristics which do not necessarily fully reflect the degree of genetic differentiation between the species. However, biologically based classification systems tend to be restricted to crop plants and their relatives where the make-up of the genepool is well understood and the genetic relationships among the taxa intensively studied.

List the target taxa and identify further sources of ecogeographic data

The classification chosen will delimit the study by listing the taxa in the target group. It will also provide leads to other sources of data such as taxon descriptions, synonym lists, distribution maps, identification aids, ecological studies, bibliographies and critical taxonomic notes.