PEET: Studies in the Lasiosphaeriaceae II: Monograph of Podospora and Phylogeny of the Lasiosphaeria/Sordariaceae Group (Fungi, Ascomycetes, Sordariales)

菲尔德博物馆的Sabine Huhndorf博士和她的学生和同事正在继续对子囊菌真菌的分类和系统发育进行富有成效的研究，这是一种大型的、具有重要生态学意义的子囊菌真菌，他们把重点放在了Podospora属和相关的分类群上，Podospora属是该类群中最大、最复杂的一种（全世界有138种）。该属是了解该组关系的关键，并且作为粪便分解者真菌的主要组成部分具有重要的生态意义。先前的研究表明，大属Lasiosphaeria和Cercophora与Podospora以及模式生物Neurospora crassa和Sordaria finimicola组成了一个单系群。这些关系与传统的分类方案有很大的不同。虽然从形态学角度来看，Podospora物种受到了极大的关注，但它们以前没有被纳入分子系统研究；并结合分子特征对其属进行修订，对于了解其与其他分类群的关系是必要的。该研究将为子囊菌系统学的未来研究提供一个模型系统，通过使用多基因方法，结合蛋白质编码和核糖体基因，以及在特定，一般和家族水平上确定系统发育关系的形态学特征。专著和家族水平的系统发育研究将基于从类型和其他植物标本、新收集的标本和培养物中获得的形态学和分子数据。在数字图像采集系统的帮助下，本研究将为Sordariales的分类群提供详细的识别指南。结果将通过硬拷贝和菲尔德博物馆真菌学网站提供。由此产生的专著、标本数据库、在线图像目录和交互式鉴定系统的出版将极大地帮助世界各地的研究人员进一步研究子囊菌。研究和培训工作包括菲尔德博物馆的同事格雷格·穆勒博士以及丹麦和新西兰的其他人，他们也将协助这些国家的实地工作。学生还将参加在哥斯达黎加和厄瓜多尔进行的实地工作。该项目直接解决了子囊菌系统学目前面临的几个主要挑战，包括：A)严格检查目前用于子囊菌分类学的一些关键形态特征的变异模式；b)使用系统发育方法稳定属系、家族性和序性概念；c)确定热带国家的分类多样性；d)将这些数据整合到专题处理中；e)训练学生精通传统和现代工具和分析。了解子囊菌之间的系统发育关系是很重要的，因为这些真菌在我们的生活世界中扮演着重要的角色，它们是有机物的分解者、植物和动物疾病的病原体，也是医学和工业上重要化合物的来源。

In a continuation of productive studies of the taxonomy and phylogeny of the Sordariales, a large and ecologically important group of ascomycete fungi, Dr. Sabine Huhndorf of the Field Museum and her students and colleagues are focusing on the genus Podospora, one of the largest and most complex in the group (138 species worldwide), and related taxa. The genus is key to understanding relationships in the group, and is ecologically important as a dominant component of the dung decomposer mycota. Previous studies have shown that the large genera Lasiosphaeria and Cercophora form a monophyletic group together with Podospora and the model organisms Neurospora crassa and Sordaria fimicola. These relationships are significantly different from traditional classification schemes. While Podospora species have had a great deal of attention from a morphological standpoint, they have not previously been included in molecular systematic studies; and a revision of the genus incorporating molecular characters is essential for understanding their relationship among other taxa in the Sordariales. This study will serve as a model system for future studies in ascomycete systematics by using a multi-gene approach, incorporating both protein-coding and ribosomal genes, along with morphological characters for determining phylogenetic relationships at the specific, generic and familial levels. Both the monographic and the family level phylogenetic studies will be based on morphological and molecular data obtained from type and other herbarium specimens, newly collected specimens, and cultures. With the aid of digital image capturing systems, this study will produce detailed identification guides for taxa in the Sordariales. Results will be available via hard copy and over the Field Museum Mycology WWW site. The publication of the resulting monographs, specimen databases, on-line image catalog and interactive identification system will greatly assist further studies of ascomycetes by researchers worldwide. The research and training enterprise involves colleague Dr. Greg Mueller at the Field Museum as well as others in Denmark and New Zealand who will assist also with the fieldwork in those countries. Students will also participate in ongoing field work in Costa Rica and Ecuador.This program directly addresses several of the major challenges currently facing ascomycete systematics including: a) rigorously examining patterns of variation in some of the key morphological characters currently used in ascomycete taxonomy, b) stabilizing generic, familial and ordinal concepts using a phylogenetic approach, c) determining taxonomic diversity in tropical countries, d) integrating these data into monographic treatments, and e) training students to become well versed in traditional as well as modern tools and analyses. Understanding the phylogenetic relationships among ascomycetes is important because these fungi play an important role in our living world as decomposers of organic matter and as agents of plant and animal diseases, and as sources of medically and industrially significant compounds.