Abstract. Parataxonomic sorting of samples to recognizable taxonomic units (RTUs, morphospecies,
morphotypes or, as proposed here: parataxonomic units [PUs]) is generally considered to be a sufficiently
reliable and conservative approach in ecological biodiversity studies or conservation biology. It is
obviously time-saving because it avoids the burdens of taxonomy. However, evaluations of parataxonomic
sorting by taxonomic resorting show many overestimations of species numbers. Hence, RTU
sorting is not necessarily conservative. Sorting errors can be more than 100% (median in the present
compilation: 22%). Even if the cumulative results for diverse groups like beetles have a very low overall
error, the error rate in the single families is generally much higher. This pattern is likely to cause severe
problems in multivariate analyses. The presumable error rate in sorting does not depend only on the group
to be sorted, but also on the sorter and the sample. Therefore, the sorting error is not predictable. Since
PUs are generally neither described nor assigned to existing names, the sorting results are difficult to
check and it is mostly not revealed why the samples are sorted as they are. Since parataxonomy does not
use existing biological knowledge, creates typological units and does not disclose its sorting criteria,
inter-subjective testability and falsifiability of the sorting results are more difficult than of taxonomic
identifications (or are even impossible). Parataxonomy does not fulfil the criteria of a scientific method,
but is propedeutic and can be a heuristically valuable tool to find out patterns in taxonomically neglected
groups. However, it is only the first step in sorting and identifying samples in biodiversity studies. PUs
are useless for inventories and area selection in conservation evaluation, biogeographical and autecological
studies; they provide only uncertain data for studies in species turnover and overlap, but they can be
used quite reliably for global comparisons of gross species richness, non-comparative descriptions of
species richness of single sites or for comparisons of sites without species overlap. If results of
parataxonomic sorting show clear and biologically meaningful patterns, the sorting is likely to be reliable.
Weak or no detectable patterns may easily be caused by erroneous sorting.
Abstract. Parataxonomic sorting of samples to recognizable taxonomic units (RTUs, morphospecies,morphotypes or, as proposed here: parataxonomic units [PUs]) is generally considered to be a sufficientlyreliable and conservative approach in ecological biodiversity studies or conservation biology. It isobviously time-saving because it avoids the burdens of taxonomy. However, evaluations of parataxonomicsorting by taxonomic resorting show many overestimations of species numbers. Hence, RTUsorting is not necessarily conservative. Sorting errors can be more than 100% (median in the presentcompilation: 22%). Even if the cumulative results for diverse groups like beetles have a very low overallerror, the error rate in the single families is generally much higher. This pattern is likely to cause severeproblems in multivariate analyses. The presumable error rate in sorting does not depend only on the groupto be sorted, but also on the sorter and the sample. Therefore, the sorting error is not predictable. SincePUs are generally neither described nor assigned to existing names, the sorting results are difficult tocheck and it is mostly not revealed why the samples are sorted as they are. Since parataxonomy does notuse existing biological knowledge, creates typological units and does not disclose its sorting criteria,inter-subjective testability and falsifiability of the sorting results are more difficult than of taxonomicidentifications (or are even impossible). Parataxonomy does not fulfil the criteria of a scientific method,
but is propedeutic and can be a heuristically valuable tool to find out patterns in taxonomically neglected
groups. However, it is only the first step in sorting and identifying samples in biodiversity studies. PUs
are useless for inventories and area selection in conservation evaluation, biogeographical and autecological
studies; they provide only uncertain data for studies in species turnover and overlap, but they can be
used quite reliably for global comparisons of gross species richness, non-comparative descriptions of
species richness of single sites or for comparisons of sites without species overlap. If results of
parataxonomic sorting show clear and biologically meaningful patterns, the sorting is likely to be reliable.
Weak or no detectable patterns may easily be caused by erroneous sorting.
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