Systematics as a hypothesis-based science and its fundamental role in understanding oceans

Far from its static "stamp collecting" image, systematics is a dynamic, hypothesis-driven pursuit to perceive, describe, and explain organism diversity in an organized and useful manner. The activities of the systematist (identification, the provision of names, description, classification, and phylogenetics) provide data that are at the core of many other fields of biology, ranging from environmental science and ecology to evolutionary biology. In terms of education, systematics has qualities that make it an ideal subject around which K-12 lessons in biology can be designed. Unfortunately, in terms of ocean education, the substantial potential for systematics is unfulfilled. New curriculum that uses real world systematic research for classroom lessons could provide meaningful educational experiences, particularly those that improve ocean literacy. This assertion is illustrated using the example of research that involves the genetic identification of whale meat sold in Japanese and Korean markets. New lessons drawn from systematic research should reflect up-to-date educational philosophy, explicitly address science methodology and the nature of science, and address socioscientific issues. Greater support for the development of such lessons, in terms of funding, making research data available, and collaboration between educators and scientists, should be encouraged