Collaborative Research: Phylogeny and Classification of the Woody Bamboos (Poaceae: Bambusoideae: Bambuseae)

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Bamboos, with about 1,400 described species, are members of the grass family associated with tropical to temperate forests worldwide. Bamboos are economically important as building materials and household items (among many other uses) and are ecologically significant as a key component of many remnant habitats that preserve threatened and endangered plant and animal species. Despite this importance, bamboo diversity and evolutionary relationships (= family tree or phylogeny) are poorly known relative to other grasses and bamboo classification remains unstable. These issues create difficulties for biologists, conservationists, and those interested in developing bamboo as a sustainable resource. The principal goals of this project are to 1) generate a phylogeny for the bamboos using DNA data, data on the physical structure of bamboos, and innovative analytical and statistical methods; 2) construct a stable classification of bamboos at the genus level that reflects this phylogeny; 3) use the phylogeny to study the evolution and biology of selected features (such as vegetative branching) of these unusual grasses; 4) establish an umbrella Web site for bamboo biodiversity to host a comprehensively illustrated and interactive identification resource to the genera of bamboos and to make information on bamboo biodiversity more readily available to users around the world. An international team of bamboo biologists (the Bamboo Phylogeny Group) with complementary expertise will be established to achieve these goals. This collaborative effort will result in a much-improved understanding of the evolutionary history and biodiversity of bamboos. A stable generic classification will facilitate communication about bamboos and in conjunction with an accessible identification resource will be valued by a wide range of users, including ecologists, conservation biologists, foresters, biologists, bamboo enthusiasts, architects, engineers, and others interested in developing bamboo as a sustainable resource. Graduate and undergraduate students will receive training in plant classification and the construction of phylogenies (both important components of systematic biology) as well as current techniques of DNA manipulation and bioinformatics through participation in all phases of the project. Improvements and innovations in analytical methods that result from this project will be applicable to a wide range of fields that use bioinformatics or phylogenetic methods, such as developmental genetics, conservation genetics, genomics, and medical research. Existing museum and living collections will be strengthened through the fieldwork. Results will be widely disseminated to both the general public and the scientific community through presentations, publications, and the Bamboo Biodiversity Web site.