Download YOUR PORTFOLIO OF NORTH FLORIDA BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY

How to calculate your Taxonomic Diversity Score:
Using the taxonomic classification for each of the species in your journal, assign points to each new taxonomic
name according to its level:
7
6
5
4
3
2
1
-
Kingdom
Phylum
Class
Order
Family
Genus
species
The rule is that a taxonomic name at any level can only be counted once, or to say it another way, points are only
added to the taxonomic diversity score for new taxonomic names at any level. Kingdom Animalia can only be
counted once, earning 7 points; Phylum Chordata can only be counted once, earning 6 points; Class Reptilia can
only be counted once, earning 5 points; Order Hymenoptera can only be counted once, earning 4 points; Family
Fabaceae can only be counted once, earning 3 points; Genus Rana can only be counted once, earning 2 points; and
every species name is counted, each earning 1 point.
More points are earned if more of the organisms are from different taxonomic groups. You get the most points for
Kingdom, but there are fewer Kingdoms than Phylums and fewer Phylums than Classes and so on.
Taxonomic Classification is not written in stone. You may come across conflicting or inconsistent classifications
and names. Here are some guidelines:
Animal Kingdom:
Animals are generally divided into 2 Phylums:
Phylum
Chordata
Classes: Mammalia, Aves, Fish, Reptilia, Amphibia
Invertebrata
** although some classifications put invertebrates into unique Phylums:
Phylum Arthropoda, which is then divided into
Classes Insecta, Crustacea, and Arachnida
Plant Kingdom:
Use this classification for your plants (even if you find different taxonomic names):
Phylum
Gymnosperms: non-flowering plants with cones (conifers and cycads)
Angiosperms: flowering plants
Class
Dicots: Dicotyledons (aka, Magnoliopsida) – embryo with two seed leaves
Monocots: Monocotyledons (aka Liliopsida) – embryo with single seed leaf
You can score each new journal entry after recording the taxonomic classification for an organism or you can add
them up at the end. You’ll have the most points with your first entries, with fewer and fewer points possible as you
‘use up’ the names of higher taxonomic levels.
Be sure to always count ‘1’ for each species, even if you cannot identify it past Family or Genus.