Mission to discover Ӱֱ's unknown species
Insect expert Dr Erinn Fagan-Jeffries from the Ӱֱ of Adelaide’s School of Biological Sciences, has thrown her support behind a new missionlaunched by Taxonomy Ӱֱ, a new program of the Ӱֱn Academy of Science,todiscover and document all unknown Ӱֱn species by 2050.
The 25-year mission follows the release of a report bywhich has found for every $1 invested in mapping all remaining Ӱֱn species, up to $35 in economic benefit will be returned to the nation.
Environment Institute member Dr , is currently researching the biodiversity and taxonomy of parasitoid wasps in Ӱֱ. In a, she worked with Ӱֱn schoolchildren on a biodiversity project which resulted in the discovery of a number of new insect species.
“We have over 600,000 species of animals, plants and fungi and other organisms in Ӱֱ, but sadly only around 30 per cent have been named and documented. This represents a huge untapped resource."Dr Erinn Fagan-Jeffries
The Doilette report indicatestaxonomy investment can benefit a range of industries including bio-security, agriculture, medical and conservation.
Dr Fagan-Jeffries says, in addition to economic benefits, investment in taxonomy can have enormous environmental impact, and assist to preserve Ӱֱ’s rich biodiversity for the enjoyment of generations to come.
“With many Ӱֱn species already at risk of extinction, it is difficult to understand and manage this problem with so many species unknown,” Dr Fagan-Jeffries said.
The Deloitte report estimates that without the mission, it it’s likely to take more than 400 years to discover all remaining Ӱֱn plants, animals, fungi and other organisms.
While Ӱֱn taxonomists acknowledge the 25-year goalis highly ambitious, Dr Fagan-Jeffries says: “We are up for the challenge andnew technologies such as genome sequencing, artificial intelligence and super-computing will play an important role.
“It’s a huge scientific challenge, and will require a major collaboration and utilisation of new and emerging technologies, but it can be achieved.”
The mission’s initial focus will be to develop assets, including a national biobank and DNA sequence library, toensure DNA sequences are available for all known Ӱֱn species. This would unlock enormous potential, from eDNA sequencing for environmental monitoring to bioprospecting, bioindustries and bioengineering.
Find out more about Taxonomy Ӱֱ’s mission via the video below.
Original story in the News Archives.

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