Pinpointing nature
Pinpointing nature: building a verified type locality database to support biodiversity protection
Councils are required to protect areas with significant native biodiversity under the Resource Management Act 1991 (RMA). An attribute that has been used for designation of Significant Natural Areas by Councils in Aotearoa New Zealand is the presence of the ‘type locality’ of an indigenous species.
Aoraia orientalis Dugdale, 1994. NZAC04023399 – Holotype. Photograph by © Landcare Research
A type locality refers to the location permanently linked to the type (i.e., holotype) where a new species is collected and formally described in the scientific literature. From a taxonomic perspective, any future interpretation of this species is dependent on the ‘type’, and often also on other specimens mentioned during the first publication when a species is described (i.e., ‘type specimens’). Type specimens, therefore, underpin decisions on the designation of new species resulting from the splitting of existing species concepts, and the amalgamation of different names as synonyms of a single species.
To investigate the development of a verified type locality database to inform biodiversity management by local government authorities, researchers from Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research provided advice on what kind of type locality data should be prioritised and why it should be prioritised.
Dr Scott Jarvie, a senior scientist in terrestrial ecology at the Otago Regional Council says “by cataloguing projects focused on selected high-value taxa as recommended in the Envirolink report, the development of a type locality database is shown to be achievable.”
To download the report, click on the link below:
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