What jobs would involve the use of dichotomous keys? for what purposes?

Question

What jobs would involve the use of dichotomous keys? for what purposes?

Answer 1

Plant taxonomists use keys to identify plants.  Specific occupations would be agriculture inspectors at the borders when plants and produce is imported.  Environmental impact researchers may need to ID plants in an area that is going to be developed.  For example, a power company wanted to erect a new electrical power transmission line along a major highway.  The biologist conducting the environmental impact study discovered an endangered species of plant along the route.  As a result, the power company had to modify the route to avoid the plants.  Plant hunters (ethnobotanists) looking for species of plants that may have medicinal value would use keys to ID the plants being used by indigenous people.  And of course, ecologists and other biologists studying the environment may use the keys to help identify plants in a given habitat.

Answer 2

In biology, a practical method used to identify species. The key is written so that identification is done in steps. At each step, features of the organism are used to identify which one of two routes through the rest of the key is appropriate to the organism being identified. Dichotomous keys assume a good knowledge of the subject under investigation.