A3 Refereed book chapter or chapter in a compilation book

DNA Barcoding Marine Biodiversity: Steps from Mere Cataloguing to Giving Reasons for Biological Differences




AuthorsMikko Nikinmaa, Miriam Götting

EditorsBourlat, Sarah J.

Publishing placeNew York, USA

Publication year2016

Book title Marine Genomics: Methods and Protocols

Series titleMethods in Molecular Biology

Number in series1452

Volume1452

First page 169

Last page182

Number of pages14

ISBN978-1-4939-3774-1

eISBN978-1-4939-3774-5

ISSN1064-3745

DOIhttps://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4939-3774-5_11


Abstract

DNA barcoding has become a useful tool in many contexts and has opened up a completely new avenue for taxonomy. DNA barcoding has its widest application in biodiversity and ecological research to detect and describe diversity whenever morphological discrimination is difficult or impossible (e.g., in the case of species lacking diagnostic characters, early life stages, or cryptic species). In this chapter, we outline the utility of including physiological parameters as part of species description in publicly available databases that catalog taxonomic information resulting from barcoding projects. Cryptic species or different life stages of a species often differ in their physiological traits. Thus, if physiological aspects were included in species definitions, the presently cryptic species could be distinguished. We furthermore give suggestions for physiological information that should be included in a species description and describe potential applications of DNA barcoding for research with physiological components.



Last updated on 2024-26-11 at 11:13