VAINLY BEATING THE AIR: SPECIES-CONCEPT DEBATES NEED NOT IMPEDE PROGRESS IN SCIENCE OR CONSERVATION

Abstract

Debate over species concepts has been a persistent theme in biology. We briefl y summarize competing species concepts and facets of the debate itself. We maintain that the inherent subjectivity within all species concepts is likely to ensure continued disagreement on where to place species limits. Although the debate itself contributes to the understanding of speciation and evolutionary processes, it can take on political overtones through posturing, caricatures, and provocative statements. Empirically, neither basic nor applied science would seem to have been slowed appreciably because the species-concept debate remains unresolved. Similarly, continued disagreement must be placed in its proper context (e.g., be shelved) when considering the preservation of biodiversity. To a considerable extent, this has occurred within the conservation community. The biological species concept (BSC) and its inclusion of diagnosably distinct populations as subspecies remain dominant in ornithology. This may be att ributable, in part, to the seemingly infi nitely fi ne divisions possible under phylogenetic species concepts (PSC)—which, among other things, could strain public credulity over what constitutes a species. Nevertheless, the strengths of each of these concepts are being applied to improve our understanding of biodiversity. The longstanding disagreement over species concepts should not become an impediment to responsible conservation and wildlife manage- ment. It probably has not occurred broadly yet, but there may be potential for such an eff ect in the political arena. Received, accepted. Resumen.—El concepto de especie es un tema polemico en biologia. Resumimos brevemente los distintos conceptos de especie y las facetas del debate. Consideramos que la subjetividad inherente en todos los conceptos de especie garantizan un continuo desacuerdo en como delimitar las especies. Aunque el debate en si mismo contribuye a entender el proceso de especiacion y otros procesos evolutivos, muchas veces se desarrolla en terminos demasiado caricaturescos, burlescos y provocativos. De hecho, la continuidad del debate no parece haber ralentizado ni la ciencia basica ni la aplicada. De igual modo, el continuo desacuerdo debe contextualizarse cuando consideramos la conservacion de la diversidad. El concepto biologico de especie (BSC) y la inclusion de las poblaciones diagnosticables como subespecies, sigue predominando en ornitologia. Esto puede deberse en parte a las infi nitas divisiones que se pueden realizar bajo el concepto fi logenetico de especie (PSC), lo que entre otras cosas, puede afectar el entendimiento del publico en general sobre que es una especie. Sin embargo, los puntos fuertes de cada concepto se estan aplicando para llegar a un mejor entendimiento de la biodiversidad. Este desacuerdo historico sobre el concepto de especie no tiene por que ser un impedimento para una politica responsable para la conservacion y gestion de la vida salvaje.