Quantifying the use of species concepts.

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary Biology
• Taxonomy
• Biodiversity Science

Background:

• The concept of 'species' is fundamental to understanding life's diversity, influencing ecological, evolutionary, and conservation efforts.
• Despite its intuitive appeal, defining species remains a contentious issue, known as the 'species problem', with numerous concepts proposed over centuries.
• Quantifying the extent of disagreement among researchers regarding species definitions has been lacking.

Discussion:

• A novel survey reveals significant and widespread disagreement among researchers on the nature of species.
• Disagreement is not correlated with researcher experience or the breadth of their study system.
• However, researchers with similar focus, training, and who study the same organism exhibit lower levels of disagreement.

Key Insights:

• The species problem is extensive, with a high probability of disagreement between any two randomly selected respondents.
• Factors influencing disagreement are nuanced, with shared research context reducing divergence in species concepts.
• The study quantifies the 'species problem' for the first time, providing empirical data on conceptual diversity.

Outlook:

• The diversity of perspectives on species definitions should not necessarily be viewed as a problem.
• Understanding the drivers of disagreement can foster more productive scientific discourse.
• Future research could explore the implications of conceptual diversity for biodiversity research and conservation.