Taxonomy

Plants are the best indicator of an area’s ecological condition because they are easy to see. Consequently, learning to identify plants and understand their biology is fundamental to biodiversity conservation and management. Plant taxonomy courses focus on classification and identification, but these activities are built on an understanding of plant biology. Resources for teaching plant taxonomy in Somaliland are here.

Insects are the largest group of arthropods known but little is known about most of those in Somaliland. We need to know more because they play important roles in our environment in many different ways, such as cleaning up debris, pollinating flowers, and creating tunnels that let air and water into the soil. Some are considered pests, some as beneficial, and some as both, but most are simply overlooked. We need to understand them better if we are to respond to them constructively.