Phylogeny and Conservation

[James Francis Lyons-Weiler]

Saying that we should use phylogenetic criteria when the information is
available, and that systematics has a growing role to play in the
construction of conservation decisions, is very different than saying
managers should wait around until the taxonomic research is completed.  I
don't think I have ever seen any formal proposal on the part of advocates
of comparative biology that real-time conservation decisions should be
delayed inevitably until we know everything we can about the relationships
among species.   Yes, they have made the observation that suboptimal
decisions can be made when phylogenetic distinctiveness is ignored, but
that does not translate into a mandate for an absolute coup in the way
that managers tackle any and all problems.  It's too bad that arguments
like "that's not the way we ususal do conservation biology, in practice"
confuse the points which, IMHO, can be rather salient.  Of course, this
is not the first forum in which the status quo is offered as a reason for
inctivity.  Managers in conservation biology also argued against
considering insights from island biogeography, the ESA, the saftey of
biological introductions, and so on.  The politicization of the agenda of
conservation biology has, unfortunately, in case after case, lead to the
politicization of the options that managers are allowed to consider.
Time after time, managers have compromised, in the end, towards a
decision that is often not at all based on biological criteria, but,
nevertheless, _some_ action, _some_ decision is arrived at.  Kudos for
the managers, for they then strive to make the best out of a very often,
very bad set of options.

Often, conservation biology is like triage.  Imagine if, for political
reasons, a doctor in an emergency room was not free to explore options
that they have very good reasons to suspect will save the patient.
Imagine how frustrated the doctor would become if those political reasons
were things like the Senator supports the byway plan in order to not
interfere with a planned resort or golf course.  Thus, a sieve is in
place such that biologists who can't or won't learn to tolerate
compromise for factors based on short-term, finanical factors find other
research  areas that they can function in.

Arguing about the relevance of phylogenetic information for conservation
decisions is like arguing whether we should take the pulse or blood
pressure of a dying patient.  Doctors who have the technology prefer the
know both.

James LW.

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  \  /   /    \  /           JAMES LYONS-WEILER           ______________
   \/   /      \/                                        |..............|
    \  /       /                                         |..............|
     \/       /              DOCTORAL PROGRAM IN         |..............|
      \      /               ECOLOGY, EVOLUTION, AND     |...***........|
       \    /                CONSERVATION BIOLOGY        |..*****.......|
        \  /                                             |.******.......|
         \/                  1000 VALLEY ROAD/186        |********......|
    ______________           THE UNIVERSITY OF            --------------
   | will perform |          NEVADA, RENO
   |  statistical |          RENO, NEVADA 89512-0013
   | phylogenetic |
   | analyses for |         "(Biology) is not religion; if it were, we'd
   |    food      |          have a much easier time raising money."
    --------------                       -Leon Lederman


                EXPLORATORY ANALYSIS OF PHYLOGENETIC DATA
                RASA 2.1 SOFTWARE FOR THE MAC
                Download @
                http://loco.biology.unr.edu/archives/rasa/rasa.html
_______________________________________________________________________________