[Taxacom] MSc taxonomy

Paul Kirk p.kirk at cabi.org
Wed Oct 1 10:13:12 CDT 2008 

Fungi and Fungi - plain and [not so] simple. They are not botanical except for their nomenclature. They are honorary animals, more closely related to you and I than the plants ... for those who would divide the eukaryotic world into plants and animals. Eumycota is a superfluous name for Fungi - names do not have to change when circumscriptions change - at least for the core taxon. Organism studied by mycologist typically include taxa from two other 'kingdoms' - the Chromista (or perhaps Stramenipila) and the Protozoa; the former including Phytophthora infestans (causal agent of potato blight) and the latter including the Mycetozoa, the slime moulds.

Paul

-----Original Message-----
From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [mailto:taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of bti at dsmz.de
Sent: 01 October 2008 15:55
To: taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu
Subject: Re: [Taxacom] MSc taxonomy

If I understand you correctly this refers to "botanical taxa"  
(including of course all the fungi, some of which are not Eumycota - correct Paul?!). However, I don't know of any comparable course dealing with prokaryote. As far as I can tell there is big hole in this area in the UK, as was indicated in the evidence submitted to the House of Lords Select Committee. However, no-one seems willing to look into that hole!

Brian

Quoting Alan DAvid Forrest <aforrest at rjb.csic.es>:

> I agree with Charles: I completed the Edinburgh course and haven't 
> looked back It has a very cross disciplinary approach. Taxonomy in a 
> broad sense is in good shape in the UK as far as training goes, it is 
> the lack of funding at postdoc and permanent positions that is lacking.
> Apologies for my previous omission regarding fungal taxonomy: the 
> course includes all levels of plant taxonomy from inc. algae and fungi 
> as well as the more popular fluffy species.
>
>
> Charles Coyle escribió:
>> Hi,
>>
>> Having completed the Botany degree at Reading, and the Taxonomy 
>> Masters at Edinburgh, I can say that Taxonomy teaching is in rather 
>> good health in the UK at least.  I know there are many other courses 
>> here as well which people have already mailed about.  There is 
>> certainly interest in the subject, and the Masters course I witnessed at Reading and the course I took at Edinburgh
>> are terrific.   If you study Botany at Reading, you can take some of the
>> modules designed for the Masters degree.
>>
>>  It strikes me that the problem is not the teaching of Taxonomy, but 
>> provision of enough jobs for all the enthusiastic people who graduate 
>> in it every year
>>
>> Best wishes,
>>
>> Charles Coyle
>> http://www.reading.ac.uk/biologicalsciences/pg-taught/biosci-pgtmscpl
>> antdiversity.asp
>>
>> Edinburgh Course
>> http://www.rbge.org.uk/education/professional-courses/msc-in-biodiver
>> sity-and-taxonomy-of-plants
>>
>> Reading course
>>
>>
>> --------------------------------------------------
>> From: "Kathy Kron" <kronka at wfu.edu>
>> Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 2:32 PM
>> To: "Eduard Stloukal" <stloukal at fns.uniba.sk>
>> Cc: <taxacom at mailman.nhm.ku.edu>
>> Subject: Re: [Taxacom] MSc taxonomy
>>
>>
>>> We have a M.S. thesis program that is a mix of coursework and research.
>>> This
>>> M.S. is in Biology as it is offered through our Biology Department 
>>> at WFU, but I have had several M.S. students who have done botanical 
>>> theses. Many of our entering students have limited botanical 
>>> training so sometimes the adviser has to take up much of the slack.
>>>
>>> On Wed, Oct 1, 2008 at 5:26 AM, Eduard Stloukal
>>> <stloukal at fns.uniba.sk>wrote:
>>>
>>>
>>>> Dear Mark,
>>>>
>>>> We have a regular Bachelor study programme "the Systematic biology 
>>>> and ecology" of 6 semester duration at our faculty with many 
>>>> lectures in field of taxonomy and systematic biology.
>>>>
>>>> Graduates of this programme as well as ones from the Bc. programme 
>>>> Biology (graduates from other universities are also welcome) can 
>>>> continue their study at one of MSc programmes Botany, Zoology, 
>>>> Ecology etc.
>>>>
>>>> We provide education also at PhD level (programmes like Zoology, 
>>>> Botany, Parasitology, Limnology,
>>>> Ecology)
>>>>
>>>> Study is available in Slovak and English languages.
>>>>
>>>> Among topics discussed during the general EDIT meeting in 
>>>> Carvoeiro, Portugal (January this year) was the need to support not 
>>>> only summer courses for amateurs and students, but also to support 
>>>> interest of universities to open regular courses focussed on 
>>>> taxonomy with the curricula ensuring good training of next 
>>>> generation of taxonomists. Understanding of this call was not 
>>>> general, but many participants concurred in the need to prepare 
>>>> some kind of the template for such programmes.
>>>>
>>>> Kind regards,
>>>> Edo
>>>>
>>>> Vice-Dean of Faculty & Head of Department Department of Zoology, 
>>>> Faculty of Natural Sciences, Comenius University, Mlynská dolina 
>>>> B-1, 842
>>>> 15  Bratislava, Slovakia
>>>> phone/fax: +421-2-60296333; fax: +421-905-570149; e-mail:
>>>> stloukal at fns.uniba.sk; skype:
>>>> edostloukal; ICQ: 497047467
>>>>
>>>> -----Original Message-----
>>>> From: taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu [mailto:
>>>> taxacom-bounces at mailman.nhm.ku.edu] On Behalf Of Mark Costello
>>>> Sent: Wednesday, October 01, 2008 6:16 AM
>>>> To: 'taxacom'
>>>> Subject: [Taxacom] MSc taxonomy
>>>>
>>>> Dear Taxacom readers,
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> It is difficult or impossible to teach taxonomy as part of 
>>>> undergraduate degrees nowadays. Courses I know off are usually days 
>>>> to weeks. However, I believe MSc options would be possible, with a 
>>>> mix coursework (including
>>>> practical) providing a breadth of knowledge, followed by a research 
>>>> project doing taxonomy. They may focus on 
>>>> agricultural/marine/freshwater/insect
>>>> etc.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Are there any such courses around?
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> Best wishes
>>>>
>>>> Mark
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> <>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><>  ><> ><>
>>>>>
>>>> Dr Mark J. Costello, Associate Professor, Leigh Marine Laboratory, 
>>>> University of Auckland, PO Box 349, Warkworth 0941, New Zealand.
>>>> [Delivery address 160 Goat Island Road, Leigh, New Zealand] Direct 
>>>> tel. +64-9-3737599 ext 83608; Reception +64-9-422 6111
>>>>
>>>> Mobile +64-21-186 9878
>>>> Fax +64-9-422 6113; Email  <mailto:m.costello at auckland.ac.nz>
>>>> m.costello at auckland.ac.nz
>>>>
>>>> Skype: markcostello
>>>> Website  <http://www.marine.auckland.ac.nz/> 
>>>> www.marine.auckland.ac.nz Other websites:
>>>>
>>>> Member Governing Board of the Ocean Biogeographic Information 
>>>> System <http://www.iobis.org/> www.iobis.org.
>>>> Secretary General of the International Association of Biological 
>>>> Oceanography  <http://www.iabo.org/> www.iabo.org.
>>>> Chair of the World Register of Marine Species and Chief Editor of 
>>>> the European Register of Marine Species www.marinespecies.org
>>>>
>>>> Chair of the Society for the Management of European Biodiversity 
>>>> Data <http://www.smebd.eu/> www.smebd.eu Manager of Marine Research 
>>>> Information (email) NEtwork on biodiversity; archives at  
>>>> <https://listserv.heanet.ie/marine-b.html>
>>>> https://listserv.heanet.ie/marine-b.html.
>>>> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
>>>> ~~~~
>>>>
>>>> The University of Auckland 1883-2008: Celebrating 125 Years
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
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>>>
>>> --
>>> Kathleen A. Kron
>>> Professor
>>> Department of Biology
>>> Wake Forest University
>>> Winston-Salem, NC 27109-7325
>>> email: kronka at wfu.edu
>>> www.ericaceae.org
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> Taxacom mailing list
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>>>
>>
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