Browsing and Filtering the Database
The BLS taxon dictionary database contains entries for several thousand taxa. These are displayed in rows in a table, alphabetically by taxon name. 30 entries at a time are shown by default but you can change the number of entries displayed using the "Items per Page" drop-down list The options are 20,30,40,50 or 100 rows.
You can browse the entries just by scrolling through pages using the "pager" links at the bottom of the page (1, 2, 3 etc. and "next", "previous", "first" and "last").
Alternatively, you can use the boxes above the entries display to filter the display. The available filters are:
- Name: This filter acts on the "Taxon Name" column (note: not just the Current Taxon Name, all names are included unless you select the Is Current Name option). To use this start typing a name or part of a taxon name in the box and a list of suggestions will appear. The list wil shorten as you type more characters. When you see the taxon name you want, click on it to select it. Then click the "Go" button. If you wish to see all the taxa in a genus just type the generic name and click "Go".
- Is Current Name?: By default this filter is set to "Any". Choosing "Yes" will filter the display to show only those Taxon Names which are the currently accepted name for the taxa. Choosing "No" will do the converse - i.e. display only those Taxon names which are NOT the current taxon name, now synonyms.
- Conservation Status:There are two boxes for this, each having the same options for filtering. The first box is set by defaut to "Contains" and the second to "Does Not Contain". So, for example if you put "Vu" in the first and "Wa" in the second you could filter out all those species with a threat status of "Vulnerable" but which were not included on the Wales priority list. But you can mix and match here to suit your requirements.
Conservation Status Abbreviations Used in the Database
Threat (IUCN Criteria)
Ex = Extinct
Cr = Critically Endangered
En = Endangered
Vu = Vulnerable
NT = Near Threatened
LC = Least Concern
DD = Data Deficient
NE = Not Evaluated
UK and Country Priority Lists
P = Priority Taxon in the UK BAP (Biodiversity Action Plan)
Eng = Priority Taxon for Biodiversity in England (Section 41 Species)
Sc = Priority Taxon for Biodiversity in Scotland
Wa = Priority Taxon for Biodiversity in Wales (Section 7 Species)
Other
Nb = Notable
IR = International Responsibility
S8 = listed on Schedule 8 of the Wildlife & Countryside Act, 1981 as being specially protected under UK law
M* = metallophyte in Wales
Rarity
NR = Nationally Rare (i.e. Recorded in 15 or fewer 10 km squares in the United Kingdom)
NS = Nationally Scarce (i.e. Recorded in between 16 and 100 10 km squares in the United Kingdom
Note: In the new Guidelines for the Selections of Biological SSSIs, Chapter 13 Lichens and associated microfungi these rarity values are no longer used to define species of conservation interest. Instead threat categories NT to Cr are used, along with a new category of Notable for those LC or DD species which are not threatened but are considered to be of significant conservation interest. These include many that were NR, NS or IR.
Other Abbreviations Used in the Database
A = Non-lichenised alga
CBM = Cyanobacterium
CR = Chemical Race
F = Fungus
L = Lichen
LF = Lichenicolous Fungus
Go to the BLS Online Taxon Dictionary