Biodiversity and DNA Barcoding Quiz

Measuring Species Diversity

• Scientists estimate the total number of species on Earth to be around 8.7 million, with a margin of error of 1.3 million.
• This estimate includes 6.5 million species on land and 2.2 million in oceans.
• The most precise calculation of species counts comes from the Census of Marine Life.
• Estimates of the total number of species range from 5 to possibly 10 million or more, highlighting significant undiscovered species.
• Many species, notably those in remote or unexplored areas, remain undiscovered and undescribed by science.
• Researchers are continually discovering and describing new species regularly, thus the current total is likely to increase.
  • This suggests that a significant portion of species on Earth and in the ocean remain unknown.
  • Taxonomic and biodiversity research are constantly evolving to offer updated or more accurate information.

Tools and Technologies

• iNaturalist:
  • A citizen science platform where people can document and share observations of plants and animals, aiding in species discovery.
  • Users take photos of organisms and upload them to the platform, facilitating species identification.
  • Artificial intelligence is used to make initial identifications and the platform can benefit greatly from more users contributing photos and data.
• LifeScanner:
  • A tool for robotic discovery of small invertebrates using machine learning methods.
• GBIF.org and EOL photos in Flickr:
  • Online resources offering extensive biodiversity data, including millions of records.
  • Used with additional resources, a powerful tool for comprehensive data on species.
• Facebook 2013:
  • Demonstrates the reach of observations through an existing, powerful tool, like social media.
• Barcodes:
  • A technology that helps generate unique identifiers.
  • Only a few numbers are needed to generate unique identifiers (e.g. 10 x 10 x 10 x 10 = 10,000).
  • Used for quick identification of species.

Existing Species Datasets and Taxonomies

• Scientists have catalogued approximately 1.7 million species to date, which is a relatively small subset of the total.
• The global number of species on Earth is 5 ± 3 million.
  • This figure considers known species (1.5 million) and estimates the number likely to exist.
• Existing databases indicate there are more taxonomists describing species now than ever before.
• The increase in taxonomists outpaces the rate of species description, suggesting ongoing efforts to catalogue species are impactful.
• Species survival in secondary habitats are delaying extinctions.
• Extinction rates are poorly understood, varying from 0.01 to 1%, at most 5%, per decade.

Bio-Diversity Distribution

• There are significant disparities in the number of species catalogued across various taxa, with some groups far more documented than others.
• The distribution of species on the map and various databases showcases how the numbers for these species are quite different.
• Some groups show occurrences excess, others show occurrences shortfall.

Evolutionary Trees

• Evolutionary trees show evolutionary relationships between different organisms based on ribosomal RNA sequences (and genetics).
• Shows how various species relate to one another based on ancestry.
• Allows scientists to analyze similar characteristics, to determine their evolutionary ties.

Taxonomic Classification

• Biologists have established standardized methods for classifying species, based on higher taxonomic classification (e.g., phylum, class, etc.)
• This method helps in the estimation of the total number of species in a particular group efficiently to provide insights to the totality of the existing species on Earth.
• The five-kingdom classification based on cell structure and nutrition (plants, fungi, animals, protists and monera) reflects the historical view of the nature and diversity of life on our planet.

Additional Notes

• Estimated numbers of species are continuing to evolve as more data and research emerge.
• Continued exploration and taxonomy are vital for a more complete understanding of Earth's biodiversity.
• The current knowledge of species diversity is incomplete and requires more efforts and resources to be address.

Test your knowledge on the Barcode Index Number (BIN) System and its role in biodiversity documentation. Explore the comparison between DNA barcoding and traditional taxonomy, along with the importance of citizen science in enhancing our understanding of species diversity. Dive into estimates of total species and contributions to taxonomy.