Names are not good enough: Reasoning over taxonomic change in the Andropogon complex1

Abstract

We present a novel, logic-based solution to the challenge of reconciling the meanings of taxonomic names across multiple biological taxonomies. The challenge arises due to limitations inherent in using type-anchored taxonomic names as identifiers of granular semantic similarities and differences being expressed in original and revised taxonomic classifications. We address this challenge through: (1) the use of taxonomic concept labels -thereby individuating name usages according to particular sources and allowing each taxonomy to be recognized separately; (2) sets of user-provided Region Connection Calculus articulations among concepts (RCC-5: congruence, proper inclusion, inverse proper inclusion, overlap, exclusion); and