中国兽类分类与系统演化研究进展

Taxonomic and systematic research progress of mammals in China

中国兽类(即哺乳动物)种类繁多,对维持生态平衡发挥着重要的作用。自John R.Reeves于1829—1834年在我国广东开展兽类调查以来,近200年我国兽类分类及系统学研究取得了令世人瞩目的进步和发展。目前中国已知的兽类物种数已达686种,约占全世界兽类种数的10%,是世界上兽类物种多样性最丰富的国家之一。随着我国对生态环境保护的重视,生态环境日益改善,但全球气候变化、生境破碎化、人类活动增加及人兽共患重大疫情涌现等问题仍十分突出,兽类多样性调查及分类学研究的必要性越发明显。同时,兽类分类学这门古老而传统的学科也在不断引入各种新方法与技术,如整合分类学、标本数字化、模式标本测序、便携式测序技术及基于深度学习技术的物种识别鉴定等,分类学研究的成果及应用在近年得到了飞速发展。动物分类学作为传统的基础学科,是遗传学、生理学、生态学、医学、药学等现代生物学的基石。然而,由于学科特征和差异等原因,该学科近年来没有得到足够的重视,导致出现了学科萎缩和分类学人才后继无人的危机。因此,从国家层面对分类学、形态学等基础学科的人才培养、课题设置和资金投入等,予以特殊的政策支持,十分必要,也亟待解决。

Rich mammalian diversity in China ranks it as one of the key groups in maintaining ecological function.Since Mr.John R.Reeves conducted the first mammalian survey in Guangdong,China,from 1829 to 1834,Chinese mammal taxonomic and systematic researches have made remarkable progress in the past 200 years.Presently,the number of mammal species in China has reached 686,representing about 10%of all mammals and making it one of the most diverse countries in mammal species in the world.As China attaches greater importance to ecological protection,the ecological environment is increasingly improved.Nevertheless,along with global climate change,increasing human activities and the emergence of major human-animal epidemics,the importance of mammal surveys and taxonomic clarification has become more apparent.Meanwhile,this traditional discipline is constantly incorporating state-of-art techniques,such as integrative taxonomy,digitization of specimens,type specimens sequencing technique,portable sequencing techniques and deep learning-based species identification,with the goals of verifying species identification,building proper taxonomic classifications,and promoting the application and transformation of taxonomic achievements to other discipline.Animal taxonomy,a traditional basic discipline,is also the basis for many branches in modern biology,such as genetics,physiology,ecology,medicine and pharmacology.However,due to distinct characteristics among disciplines,it has not received sufficient attention in recent years.It is thus necessary to value traditional taxonomy,morphology and other basic disciplines at the national level,and provide special policy and financial support on talent training and funding.