Dancing on Linnaeus’ Palm: Divergence of Species Scapes between ecologists and taxonomists

Ryota Hayashi , Shota Shibasaki 

Taxonomy is foundational to the life sciences, yet remains structurally undervalued in systems of research evaluation that rely on short-term citation metrics. To explore the roots of this imbalance, we analysed 360 open-access articles published in 2024 across 12 major journals in ecology and taxonomy. Our results reveal a striking divergence: ecological journals overwhelmingly focus on charismatic vertebrates described in the 18th and 19th centuries, whereas taxonomic journals highlight recently described and often inconspicuous invertebrates. To visualise this contrast, we reconstruct parallel “Species Scapes,” inspired by Wheeler’s (1990) concept, which immediately convey the fundamentally different Umwelten of these two scientific communities. The ecological Species Scape is dominated by familiar megafauna, while the taxonomic Species Scape highlights hyperdiverse but underappreciated groups. This mirrored visualisation demonstrates how disciplinary perspectives shape what counts as biodiversity, and how historical and perceptual filters drive a systemic neglect of taxonomic novelty. Recognising and bridging these divergent Umwelten is a necessary step toward correcting the systemic undervaluation of taxonomy and ensuring that taxonomic contributions are fairly recognised as part of a more comprehensive biodiversity science.