• Introduction
• Higher Classification Sources
• NUB Merging
• Multiple Higher Classifications

Introduction

There are several popular higher classifications in use which are mutually exclusive, contradicting and true alternatives. This happens on many levels, but probably more the higher the ranks are.

Higher Classification Sources

• http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biological_classification

• http://www.catalogueoflife.org/browse_taxa.php
• Vascular Plants: http://www.botany.hawaii.edu/faculty/carr/pfamilies.htm
• Thomson Reuters
• http://www.ubio.org/gbif/vernacular/index.php
• ...

NUB Merging

Does it make sense to merge several classifications that has similar coverage? It doesnt make much sense to add all known higher taxa to a management classification. If there are 2 families that are not strict synonyms and have overlapping coverage, would we:

1. add both families and repeat genera in both?
2. add one family and make the other one a synonym?
3. add only one igoring the other

Multiple Higher Classifications

Hopefully ECAT can handle several ones in the future, but the GBIF occurrence store cant at the moment, so it has to be a single one.