[SEEK-Taxon] mammal expert

[franz@nceas.ucsb.edu]

Hi all:

   Bat biodiversity expert Dr. Kate Jones (http://www.columbia.edu/~kj2107/) is
 very interested in working with us. She's available for a conference call
during our upcoming SBA meetings.

Cheers,

Nico

*****

2nd e-mail:

"Hi Nico
16th sounds great. I have just moved offices so I haven't got my phone
sorted out yet but should have by then. I'll let you know what number to call.
Kate"

1st e-mail:

>Quoting Kate Jones <kj2107 at columbia.edu>:
>
> > Hi Nico (cc James)
> > Great to hear from you and what a wonderful proposal, I am totally
> > interested. I am actually working on a similar climate envelope modelling
> > thing but with mammal species range maps -so not using specimen museum data
> >
> > but shape files in GIS of range distributions. My collaborators and I have
> > range maps for all the worlds mammals.
> > Anyway the taxonomic problem is an enormous one and I am really pleased to
> > see a project proposing to figure the problems out. I have been
> > collaborating with DeeAnn Reeder and Don Wilson's new version of the Mammal
> >
> > taxonomy, which I believe is nearly finished. Nancy Simmons who did the bat
> >
> > section now recognizes 200 more species from the last edition, so the
> > problem of changing taxonomy is very real, and one which I rant about to
> > conservation biologists endlessly.
> > Your project proposal mentions an automated resolution service to match up
> > names to a recognized taxonomy. I actually have something you could use
> > already for all the mammals. Basically I got the original files from Wilson
> >
> > and Reeder for their taxonomy and have made an authority file that matches
> > on four bits of information for a taxon 1. genus name, 2. species name, 3.
> > authority, and 4. subspecies name and then matches to the currently
> > recognized name in Wilson and Reeder 1993. You could easily do this for the
> >
> > new version when completed. You could also get an uncertainty score for
> > species name matches if some of the information is missing (e.g. authority
> > is missing, or subspecies is missing).
> > Anyway the two parts of the project both look very interesting and I think
> > that I could help you. It would be good to match this project up with the
> > taxonomists and other biodiversity scientists that I am linked into who are
> >
> > also trying to figure this stuff out.
> > So yes I would love to be involved -what do you want me to do and when? I
> > am at Columbia until Sept 2005 and then taking up a perm position at the
> > Institute of Zoology in London from then. How long are you at NCEAS? It is
> > such a great place, Richard Stevens and Kate Lyons are good friends of
> > mine.
> > Best wishes
> > Kate  

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