Advanced Studies in Systematics

Oct-Nov 2025

Yamama NACIRI

Alice CIBOI, Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de Genève Andreas SCHMITZ, Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle de Genève Mathieu PERRET, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques & UNIGE Fred STAUFFER, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques & UNIGE Yamama NACIRI, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques & UNIGE Charles POUCHON, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de Genève Nathalie RASOLOFO, Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de Genève Emmanuel TOUSSAINT, Muséum d’Histoire Naturel

This course covers the fundamentals of systematics science and allows students to become familiar with the processes and tools involved in modern taxonomy. The importance of taxonomy and systematics in the description and management of biodiversity is explored alongside new approaches to the description, definition, classification and understanding of life on Earth, and the processes that shape it. The course addresses three main topics:

(1) theoretical and practical aspects of taxonomy, systematics and nomenclature in plants, fungi and animals;

(2) the description, delimitation and classification of species with a special focus on molecular techniques;

(3) conservation techniques in plant and animal collections.

The course builds on frontal and interactive modes of education. At the end of the course, the students are given two case studies, one in botany and one in zoology (data to analyse, herbarium specimens, photos, descriptions, etc...) and are asked to answer to some of the main questions addressed during the 3 days.

This course provides an immersion into collections of international relevance and develops all aspects of integrative taxonomy with examples and training in the collections. The mornings are dedicated to theoretical courses while the afternoons are spent in the collections. Upon conclusion of the course, the students are expected to be able to: understand the basics of naming and nomenclature; use an identification key; explore the definition of species and species concepts; have a critical understanding of species delimitation and be able to analyse species from a morphological and molecular perspective; be aware of and explain the importance of modern taxonomy.

Conservatoire et Jardin botaniques de Genève

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