Taxonomy Explainer Diagram

What is the Biomimicry Taxonomy?

A taxonomy is a system of classification. The Biomimicry Taxonomy is a classification system developed by the Biomimicry Institute to organize biological content on the website AskNature. The Taxonomy categorizes the different ways that organisms and natural systems meet functional challenges.

On AskNature, the ways that organisms and other living systems meet functional challenges are called strategies. The Biomimicry Taxonomy organizes these biological strategies by function, that is, by what the strategy does for the organism or living system. Organizing biological content by function is valuable because it allows us to look for potential solutions to similar challenges we face as humans.

Here is an example showing how AskNature represents a strategy and a related function within the Biomimicry Taxonomy. In the Taxonomy, functions are organized in a nested hierarchy. The top level, “Group,” represents a broad function performed in nature, the second level a “Sub-Group” of functions, and the third level a specific “Function.” In total, the Taxonomy features eight groups comprised of 30 sub-groups that contain more than 160 functions.