Why Is Taxonomy Important?
Taxonomy is a system that is used to classify organisms. It is important because the classification of organisms show the relationship between the organism and its contemporaries. Classification also shows past relationships between the organism and its ancestors.
The rank on a taxon shows the similarities between the members. The lower the rank, the more similarities that exist between members. Every taxon has a special name. The ranks as well as the nomenclature of a taxon are standardized by international bureaus and congresses. This standardization is what makes it possible for biologists across the world to identify a particular organism. Common names of organisms may vary depending on where in the world they are found. This means that the name of an organism can be different from one country to the next. When an organism has one scientific name, it makes it easier for scientists to identify it, no matter where in the world the organism is found. The basic system of scientific classification has eight groups of taxa. Every living organism is given a place in a group. Taxonomists place each group in a classification framework based on their research. This can be difficult if the group contains rare or extinct organisms.
