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Insect expert Dr Erinn Fagan-Jeffries from the 杏吧直播 of Adelaide鈥檚 School of Biological Sciences, has thrown her support behind a new mission launched by the 杏吧直播n Academy of Science鈥檚 Taxonomy 杏吧直播, to discover and document all unknown 杏吧直播n species by 2050.

The 25-year mission follows the release of a report by , which has found for every $1 invested in mapping all remaining 杏吧直播n species, up to $35 in economic benefit will be returned to the nation.

Dr Fagan-Jeffries is currently researching the biodiversity and taxonomy of parasitoid wasps in 杏吧直播. In a , she worked with 杏吧直播n schoolchildren on a biodiversity project which resulted in the discovery of a number of new insect species.

鈥淲e have over 600,000 species of animals, plants and fungi and other organisms in 杏吧直播, 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 indicates taxonomy 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 杏吧直播鈥檚 rich biodiversity for the enjoyment of generations to come.

鈥淲ith many 杏吧直播n species already at risk of extinction, it is difficult to understand and manage this problem with so many species unknown,鈥� Dr Fagan-Jeffries said.

The Deloitte report estimates that without the mission, it it鈥檚 likely to take more than 400 years to discover all remaining 杏吧直播n plants, animals, fungi and other organisms.

While 杏吧直播n taxonomists acknowledge the 25-year goal is highly ambitious, Dr Fagan-Jeffries says: 鈥淲e are up for the challenge and new technologies such as genome sequencing, artificial intelligence and super-computing will play an important role.

鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge scientific challenge, and will require a major collaboration and utilisation of new and emerging technologies, but it can be achieved.鈥�

The mission鈥檚 initial focus will be to develop assets, including a national biobank and DNA sequence library, to ensure DNA sequences are available for all known 杏吧直播n species. This would unlock enormous potential, from eDNA sequencing for environmental monitoring to bioprospecting, bioindustries and bioengineering.

Find out more about Taxonomy 杏吧直播鈥檚 mission via the .