Taxonomists discover, describe and classify species. Millions of species remain unknown or unidentifiable, inaccessible to science and society.
Charting the species of the world and their unique attributes are essential parts of understanding the history of life.
Reliable taxonomic information is a necessary for managing sustainable ecosystems, attaining conservation goals, and detecting introductions of pests, vectors and invasive species.
Traditional taxonomic tools and methods have theoretical rigor and rich intellectual content, but are not keeping pace with this growing need for knowledge.
How can we increase the pace at which species exploration progresses while maintaining the scientific rigor of traditional taxonomy?