Determination book
An identification book is generally used to identify the species of animals , plants , fungi or other organisms on the basis of archived or collected specimens or on the basis of observation in the natural habitat .
Identification books can be roughly divided into two groups according to their structure, the method of identification, the target group and the scientific requirements.
A large number of richly illustrated identification books are available for the interested layperson , in which the identification of species is primarily based on the overall appearance or characteristic, easily recognizable individual features (e.g. flower color of plants). Depending on the level of detail in the identification book, this determination is supplemented by illustrations and / or descriptions of characteristic individual features (e.g. teeth of the leaves of plants, details of the bird's plumage) according to the overall habitus for easily confused species.
Identification books for purely scientific use , on the other hand, are usually illustrated in less detail. The determination of the species belonging to an object is usually carried out according to a dichotomous identification key (plant key ). Thereby, pairs of opposites of feature combinations or individual features are queried sequentially, whereby the decision regarding a feature pair leads to the next question, so that it is narrowed down to certain subgroups until finally only a single type is considered. Identification books of this type have a long tradition and mostly cover the native flora and fauna in much more detail than illustrated identification books for laypeople. A highly specialized vocabulary, which is usually explained in the introductory part, makes it difficult for beginners to access dichotomous identification keys and their use requires experience, since a single wrong decision during the identification process can lead to a wrong determination.
Identification books with dichotomous keys are often used exclusively to identify the species and contain little or no additional information beyond the characteristics required for identification. They should therefore ideally be used together with suitable reference works (or illustrated identification books) if further information on the species under consideration is required.
In addition to natural history, there are also identification books in the field of art history and building culture .
See also
- Determination (biology) , determination in general
- Plant identification , the identification especially in botany
Literature and Examples
- Ludwig Döderlein : Identification book for German land and freshwater animals. 3 volumes. Oldenbourg, Munich / Berlin, 1931–1932.
- Eckehart J. Jäger, Klaus Werner (Ed.): Excursion flora from Germany. Founded by Werner Rothmaler. 18th, edited edition. Volume 2. Vascular Plants: Baseline, Spectrum, Heidelberg a. a. 2002, ISBN 3-8274-1359-1 .
- Eckehart J. Jäger, Klaus Werner (Hrsg.): Excursion flora from Germany vascular plants: Atlas ribbon. 10th edition. Spectrum Academic Publishing House, Heidelberg / Berlin 2000, ISBN 3-8274-0926-8 .
- Eckehart J. Jäger, Klaus Werner (Ed.): Excursion flora from Germany. Founded by Werner Rothmaler. 9th completely revised edition. Volume 4: Vascular Plants: Critical Volume, Spectrum Academic Publishing House, Heidelberg / Berlin 2002, ISBN 3-8274-0917-9 .
- Siegmund Seybold : Flora of Germany and neighboring countries. A book for identifying vascular plants that grow wild and often cultivated . Founded by Otto Schmeil , Jost Fitschen . 93rd completely revised and expanded edition. Quelle & Meyer, Wiebelsheim 2006, ISBN 3-494-01413-2 .
- Erich Oberdorfer : Plant-sociological excursion flora for Germany and neighboring areas . With the collaboration of Angelika Schwabe and Theo Müller. 8th, heavily revised and expanded edition. Eugen Ulmer, Stuttgart (Hohenheim) 2001, ISBN 3-8001-3131-5 .
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ z. B .: Turit Fröbe: Everything is just a facade. The guide to modern architecture . DuMont, 2018.