[PCA] Smithsonian Botanical Symposium 2005

[Gary Krupnick]

SMITHSONIAN BOTANICAL SYMPOSIUM 2005
In Conjunction with the United States Botanic Garden

"The Future of Floras: New Frameworks, New Technologies, New Uses"

15-16 April 2005
National Museum of Natural History
Washington, DC

For centuries botanists have created regional floras for the purposes of
inventory, identification, description, and classification. But what will
the floras of the future look like? Will there be a need for floras when a
Web-based "Encyclopedia of Life" becomes a reality? What will field
taxonomists be doing in 20 years? New technologies are now being developed
to facilitate the coupling of field work with access of data that exist in
biodiversity institutions. The development of electronic field guides and
image identification systems, as well as DNA barcoding methods to identify
species in the field, have great potential to augment if not completely
replace the traditional paper-based flora.

Some scientists are concerned that new technologies that further the
inventory and classification of life may also threaten the field of
taxonomy. Will new technologies replace taxonomists who work directly with
specimens? Will new techniques provide faulty identifications? Proponents of
the new technologies believe that the easier it is for end-users to employ
good taxonomic data for identification, the more taxonomists will be
appreciated for their skills and knowledge. As the debate continues, floras
built on Web-, image-, and DNA-based products are fulfilling new functions
that paper-based floras have not been able to attain. All of these topics
focusing on the floras of the future will be discussed and debated at the
symposium. 

Information and registration at: http://persoon.si.edu/sbs/ 
Fax: 202-786-2563  -  e-mail: sbs at si.edu 

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