Europe PMC · 2025-11-05
A global survey finds that nearly half of all countries have fewer than ten active plant taxonomists — the scientists who identify and name plants — leaving huge gaps in our ability to document and protect plant diversity, especially in regions where that diversity is greatest.
48% of countries worldwide have fewer than ten active plant taxonomists, creating critical capacity shortfalls in biodiversity-rich regions.
Angola, Benin, Botswana, Colombia, Sierra Leone, and Venezuela scored highest on a newly developed 'limitations index,' reflecting the greatest combined barriers to taxonomic training and infrastructure.
Regional disparities in access to basic tools — microscopes, herbarium collections, scientific literature — were stark, with many biodiverse nations severely underequipped compared to wealthier countries.