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Institution:Texas Tech University
Email Address: Department of Biological Sciences, Lubbock, TX 79409-3131
Research Area: Systematics
Views of Dr. M. A. Houck about report of the Biodiversity Monitoring Workshop :
Dear colleagues,
One related area of research which is a natural integrative outcome of a focus on systematics, biogeography, conservation and ecology is the area of coevolution. I contend that the disciplines listed above are elevated to a greater understanding when issues of parasitism, mutualism, etc. are given serious attention.
In fact, one could argue that such relationships form a keystone at the point of intersection of the above disciplines. Yet, there is implied intraspecific bias in the terms systematics which focuses on monophyletic relationships, biogeography which focuses on the physical arrangement of single taxa, conservation which seeks to target species and even ecology may be said to focus on the interaction of individual species with the environment.
Please include coevolution in the explicit discussion of biodiversity.
Thank you.
This motivation for your efforts is to be commended.