Subspecies and the philosophy of science

Abstract

Phylogenetic methods increasingly are brought to bear on questions of subspecies taxonomy, but several recent examples highlight the need for a clear and consistent philosophical approach to how genetic data are used to assess subspecies limits. Such standards are crucial conceptually, whether or not taxonomic decisions affect conservation decisions, as they might in a recent study focused on the California Gnatcatcher (Polioptila californica), a taxon currently protected under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. It is also crucial that any adopted framework allows each of a full range of alternatives to be either supported or rejected. In this spirit, in addition to recommending best practices, I propose an amendment to the phylogenetic species concept to include a subspecies category.