Paris (France)
Laboratory Studies / Taxonomy / Marine biodiversity research at the MNHN Paris 2011-2013
The institute of systematics, evolution, biodiversity in the MNHN, Paris, executes the general collection and determination of marine, terrestrial and freshwater live. Driven by the global importance of biodiversity conservation, taxonomists have increasingly accelerated the rate of description in the past decade. Besides their engagement to overcome the tension between fieldwork and genetic microsequencing that has, since the genetic revolution, affected the whole of life sciences, they are concerned with the question of naming as many of “earth’s species before they get extinct” (Costello et al. 2013). Accordingly, the observed lab, specialized on marine invertebrates was engaged in valuing the integrative approach between rapid assessment and descriptive field science, stressing the importance of ground research in an era of increased biodiversity loss. The lab-study consisted in the observation of the every-day practices, including the material collection, sequencing sessions, conferences and meetings; completed by interviews and a focus group workshop with members of the team and the museum.
The lab’s team relied heavily and successfully on marine habitat fieldwork. Their laboratory enactments were oriented toward a particular ontology of the field through the renaissance of classical taxonomic fieldwork in far-reaching oceanic habitats: The organization of grand overseas biodiversity expeditions.