The relationships between taxonomy and conservation biology in the century of extinctions

The 21(st) century will be that of the crisis of biodiversity and of extinctions: a majority of the planet's species might disappear before having even been studied by man. The discipline in charge of this study, taxonomy, is currently facing severe problems, concerning its status inside biology and its relationships with conservation biology. Yet taxonomy and conservation biology would have much to gain to becoming allies rather than largely foreign disciplines. This would require some important changes in mentality and behaviour. @ 2003 Academie des sciences. Published by Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.