Linnaean enterprise
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Linnaean enterprise is the task of identifying and describing all living species. It is named after Carl Linnaeus, a Swedish botanist, ecologist and physician who laid the foundations for the modern scheme of taxonomy.[1]
As of 2006, the Linnaean enterprise is considered to be barely begun. There are estimated to be 10 million living species, but only about 1.5-1.8 million have been even named, and fewer than 1% of these have been studied enough to understand the basics of their ecological roles.[1] Linnaean enterprise plays a larger role in applied science and basic science. With applied science, it can assist in finding new natural products and species (bioprospecting) and effective conservation practices.[1] It allows for an understanding of evolutionary biology and how ecosystems function in basic science.[1]
The cost of completing the Linnaean Enterprise has been estimated at US $5 billion.[1]