Degrees of Uncertainty
Too often I have been identifying when I really have no clue, based on choices offered by the software on this site. I am thinking about stopping that practice entirely and submitting an ID only if based on a good hunch or better.
What that will do is leave many of my observations labeled "plantae," "monocot." or "dicot," perhaps into perpetuity. While it shrinks the species count, it is more honest.
Comments
In our region, it is worse than useless!
I agree with your honest approach. I do something similar. By the time I get in from the field, I often do not have time to sit down to identify things I couldn't in the field (Especially during my field season when I'm working 16-18 hour days). So, I generally upload them and get them down to finest level I am absolutely sure of, and wait to see what suggestions others have. Once I have more time, I compare what people have suggested after I try to key it out myself, and then either agree or not.
It makes it so I'll have quite a few observations that aren't resolved for a while, but I feel better about it that way. It also makes it less likely that I'm going to forget to upload the observation later.
Yes, and taxonomies change, and change again. Hopefully, in the fullness of time, it will shake out right.
Get your data out there! That's more important than the labels we apply. Which are, after all, a bit artificial. Plants cross, insects intergrade; they don't respect our need to pigeonhole them.
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