Search research articles

ABOUT JoVE

Overview Leadership Blog JoVE Help Center

AUTHORS

Publishing Process Editorial Board Scope & Policies Peer Review FAQ Submit

LIBRARIANS

Testimonials Subscriptions Access Resources Library Advisory Board FAQ

RESEARCH

JoVE Journal Methods Collections JoVE Encyclopedia of Experiments Archive

EDUCATION

JoVE Core JoVE Business JoVE Science Education JoVE Lab Manual Faculty Resource Center Faculty Site

Terms & Conditions of Use

Related Concept Videos

The Uncertainty Principle

The Uncertainty Principle

Werner Heisenberg considered the limits of how accurately one can measure properties of an electron or other microscopic particles. He determined that there is a fundamental limit to how accurately one can measure both a particle’s position and its momentum simultaneously. The more accurate the measurement of the momentum of a particle is known, the less accurate the position at that time is known and vice versa. This is what is now called the Heisenberg uncertainty principle. He...

Uncertainty in Measurement: Reading Instruments

Uncertainty in Measurement: Reading Instruments

Counting is the type of measurement that is free from uncertainty, provided the number of objects being counted does not change during the process. Such measurements result in exact numbers. By counting the eggs in a carton, for instance, one can determine exactly how many eggs are there in the carton. Similarly, the numbers of defined quantities are also exact. For example, 1 foot is exactly 12 inches, 1 inch is exactly 2.54 centimeters, and 1 gram is exactly 0.001 kilograms. Quantities...

Timing and Consequences on Behavior

Timing and Consequences on Behavior

In operant conditioning, the timing of reinforcement is crucial. For animals like rats and cats, immediate reinforcement (within a few seconds) is much more effective than delayed reinforcement. For example, a food reward for a rat needs to follow within 30 seconds of pressing a bar to be effective.
Humans, however, can respond to delayed reinforcers. We often make decisions between immediate small rewards and delayed larger rewards. This ability to delay gratification is a significant...

Uncertainty: Overview

Uncertainty: Overview

In analytical chemistry, we often perform repetitive measurements to detect and minimize inaccuracies caused by both determinate and indeterminate errors. Despite the cares we take, the presence of random errors means that repeated measurements almost never have exactly the same magnitude. The collective difference between these measurements - observed values - and the estimated or expected value is called uncertainty. Uncertainty is conventionally written after the estimated or expected value.

Uncertainty in Measurement: Significant Figures

Uncertainty in Measurement: Significant Figures

All the digits in a measurement, including the uncertain last digit, are called significant figures or significant digits. Note that zero may be a measured value; for example, if a scale that shows weight to the nearest pound reads “140,” then the 1 (hundreds), 4 (tens), and 0 (ones) are all significant (measured) values.

Uncertainty: Confidence Intervals

Uncertainty: Confidence Intervals

The confidence interval is the range of values around the mean that contains the true mean. It is expressed as a probability percentage. The interpretation of a 95% confidence interval, for instance, is that the statistician is 95% confident that the true mean falls within the interval. The upper and lower limits of this range are known as confidence limits. The confidence limits for the true mean are estimated from the sample's mean, the standard deviation, and the statistical factor...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by

Same author

On the relationship between root economics and plant hydraulic traits.

The New phytologist·2026

Same author

How similar are species names and why does this matter for biodiversity data.

Biodiversity data journal·2026

Same author

Local expertise anchors biodiversity documentation, but geopolitical power drives parachute discovery.

npj biodiversity·2026

Same author

The mitochondrial genome of pequi tree (<i>Caryocar brasiliense</i> Cambess.): genome structure, gene transfers, and evolutionary insights within Malpighiales.

Genome·2026

Same author

Scientists' warning on the global destruction of rock outcrop ecosystems.

Conservation biology : the journal of the Society for Conservation Biology·2026

Same author

Atlantic Forest Origins and Amazon Connections: The Evolutionary History of Adenocalymma.

Annals of botany·2026

Search research articles

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations

Published on: September 16, 2015

Taxonomic uncertainty: causes, consequences, and metrics.

Leila Meyer¹, Richard J Ladle², Rafaela J Trad³

¹Programa de Pós-graduação em Ecologia e Evolução, Instituto de Biologia Roberto Alcântara Gomes, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

Trends in Ecology & Evolution

|January 28, 2026

Summary

Taxonomic uncertainty, the doubt in species classification, is often ignored in biology. New metrics can quantify this uncertainty, improving biodiversity analysis and conservation efforts.

Keywords:

biodiversity conservation macroecology species delimitation taxonomic change taxonomic stability taxonomy

More Related Videos

Split Point Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of Thermal-Optical Organic/Elemental Carbon Measurements

Split Point Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of Thermal-Optical Organic/Elemental Carbon Measurements

Published on: September 7, 2019

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles

Published on: July 11, 2025

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jan 30, 2026

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations

Experimental Research Examining How People Can Cope with Uncertainty Through Soft Haptic Sensations

Published on: September 16, 2015

Split Point Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of Thermal-Optical Organic/Elemental Carbon Measurements

Split Point Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of Thermal-Optical Organic/Elemental Carbon Measurements

Published on: September 7, 2019

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles

A Concoction Pipeline for Generating Molecular Operational Taxonomic Units (MOTUs) Among Riparian and Aquatic Beetles

Published on: July 11, 2025

Area of Science:

Ecology, Evolution, and Conservation Biology

Background:

Taxonomic uncertainty is widespread across biological groups but frequently overlooked in ecological and evolutionary studies.
This oversight can lead to misinterpretations of biodiversity patterns and flawed conservation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

To introduce a framework for quantifying taxonomic uncertainty.
To develop metrics for assessing confidence in species boundaries and tracking taxonomic stability over time.

Main Methods:

Proposed a set of novel metrics to quantify confidence in species boundaries.
Demonstrated methods for tracking the history of taxonomic change and stability.
Showcased how these metrics can be integrated into biodiversity analyses.

Main Results:

Developed quantifiable metrics for taxonomic uncertainty.
Illustrated the application of these metrics in mapping uncertainty across taxa and regions.
Showed how to incorporate uncertainty into ecological models for more realistic error ranges.

Conclusions:

Explicitly addressing taxonomic uncertainty is crucial for advancing biodiversity science.
Quantifying and integrating taxonomic uncertainty enhances the reliability of conservation decisions.