RUI: Studies of Neotropical Myxomycetes

RUI：新热带粘菌的研究

• 批准号: 0431371
• 负责人: Steven Stephenson
• 金额: $ 7.74万
• 依托单位: University of Arkansas
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2004
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2004-02-12 至 2005-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0431371&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: RUI; Studies; Neotropical; Myxomycetes

STUDIES OF NEOTROPICAL PLASMODIAL SLIME MOLDSThe plasmodial slime molds are fungus-like organisms usually present and often abundant in terrestrial ecosystems. Most of what is known about the assemblages of slime molds associated with particular types of terrestrial ecosystems has been derived from studies in temperate forests; relatively little information is available on assemblages associated with tropical forests. This research project seeks to characterize the assemblages of species associated with microhabitats and vegetation types not yet investigated in the Neotropics. Particular emphasis will be directed towards the assemblages of species associated with various microhabitats in the canopy of tropical moist forests and microhabitats potentially available to slime molds in tropical dry forests and other types of vegetation characteristic of more arid areas of the Neotropics. The research will be carried out in three primary study areas: the Luquillo Experimental Forest in Puerto Rico, the Guanacaste Conservation Area in Costa Rica, and a portion of the state of Tlaxcala in eastern central Mexico. Specimens associated with specific microhabitats within each of these study areas will be collected in the field and obtained from moist chamber cultures prepared with samples of organic material from microhabitats being investigated. Most of the microhabitats to be investigated are accessible from the ground. However, gaining access to the canopy of a tropical forest is exceedingly difficult. Consequently, studies associated with various canopy microhabitats will be carried out in areas being subjected to active logging (i.e., samples will be collected from individual trees as soon as possible after a tree has fallen to the ground).The data accumulated as a result of the research project funded by an earlier NSF grant provided evidence for a number of ecological patterns not previously reported for slime molds. The most important of these are that (1) species richness and [especially] relative abundance increase with decreasing (and not increasing, as might have been anticipated)with moisture conditions and (2) in tropical forests, distinct assemblages of slime moldsare associated with microhabitats that have no counterparts in temperate forests. The assemblages of slime molds associated these "new" microhabitats are characterized by the presence of significant numbers of species either new to science or previously considered to be exceedingly rare. It is anticipated that the research to be carried out during this project, which will include all of the major Neotropical vegetation types not previously investigated, will yield the data necessary to develop a fairly complete understanding of slime mold distribution patterns, ecology, and diversity in this region of the world. The project will include several undergraduates as active participants, and collaborations developed with scientists in Mexico, Puerto Rico, Costa Rica, England, Spain, Russia, and Germany will be continued.

新热带疟原虫粘霉菌的研究疟原虫粘霉菌是一种类真菌生物，通常存在于陆地生态系统中并且含量丰富。 关于与特定类型陆地生态系统相关的粘菌组合的大部分知识都来自对温带森林的研究；关于与热带森林相关的组合的信息相对较少。 该研究项目旨在描述与新热带地区尚未调查的微生境和植被类型相关的物种组合。 将特别重点关注与热带潮湿森林树冠中各种微生境相关的物种组合，以及热带干燥森林中可能存在粘菌的微生境以及新热带更干旱地区特征的其他类型植被。 该研究将在三个主要研究区域进行：波多黎各的卢基洛实验森林、哥斯达黎加的瓜纳卡斯特保护区以及墨西哥中东部特拉斯卡拉州的部分地区。 与每个研究区域内的特定微生境相关的样本将在现场收集，并从用来自正在研究的微生境的有机材料样本制备的湿室培养物中获得。 大多数要研究的微生境都可以从地面进入。 然而，进入热带森林的树冠是极其困难的。 因此，与各种树冠微生境相关的研究将在进行主动伐木的地区进行（即，在树木倒地后尽快从单棵树上采集样本）。由国家科学基金会早期拨款资助的研究项目所积累的数据为先前未报道过的粘菌生态模式提供了证据。 其中最重要的是（1）物种丰富度和[特别是]相对丰度随着湿度条件的减少（而不是增加，如预期的那样）而增加；（2）在热带森林中，粘菌的独特组合与温带森林中没有对应物的微生境有关。与这些“新”微生境相关的粘菌组合的特点是存在大量科学上新的或以前被认为极其罕见的物种。 预计该项目期间将进行的研究将包括以前未调查的所有主要新热带植被类型，并将产生必要的数据，以便对世界该地区的粘菌分布模式、生态和多样性有一个相当完整的了解。该项目将包括几名本科生作为积极参与者，并将继续与墨西哥、波多黎各、哥斯达黎加、英国、西班牙、俄罗斯和德国的科学家开展合作。