PEET: Partnership for Training New Experts on Auchenorrhyncha (Insecta: Hemiptera)

PEET：合作培训真鼻甲（昆虫纲：半翅目）新专家

• 批准号: 0529679
• 负责人: Jason Cryan
• 金额: --
• 依托单位: New York State Museum Institute
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Continuing Grant
• 财政年份: 2005
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2005-09-01 至 2011-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=0529679&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: PEET; Partnership; Training; New; Experts

Auchenorrhyncha (cicadas, leafhoppers, planthoppers, spittlebugs, and treehoppers) is a diverse and economically important but poorly studied group of mostly sap-sucking insects. Approximately 42,000 species are known, but recent sampling suggests that the true number of extant species may be many times higher. The number of experts (taxonomists) capable of identifying these insects has declined precipitously in recent decades, and this trend has only recently begun to be reversed through a previous NSF PEET award focused on training new experts in Membracoidea (leafhoppers and treehoppers), the largest of the four main groups of Auchenorrhyncha. The new project will build on the success of the previous award by training experts in the other three groups: Cicadoidea (cicadas), Cercopoidea (spittlebugs), and Fulgoroidea (planthoppers). The project represents a partnership between the New York State Museum, Illinois Natural History Survey, University of Connecticut, and an international team of collaborators, including retirees, with expertise covering all major auchenorrhynchan taxa. Specific goals include: (1) train at least one new expert in the systematics of each of the four Auchenorrhyncha superfamilies; (2) develop Internet-accessible databases for species of Cercopoidea, Cicadoidea, and selected groups of Fulgoroidea to complement those already developed for Membracoidea; (3) obtain Auchenorrhyncha specimens suitable for morphological and molecular study from poorly sampled areas known to harbor diverse faunas; (4) complete species-level morphology-based revisions of species descriptions within each of the four superfamilies; (5) disseminate results (identification keys, descriptions, phylogenies or genealogy trees, geographic distribution maps and nomenclatural data) through traditional publication and the Internet. Innovative aspects of the project include its coordinated approach to training, involving several experts with complementary expertise; the use of advanced tools for the efficient synthesis of taxonomic information and production of improved classifications and identification tools in electronic and traditional formats; and the applicability of the anticipated phylogenetic results to basic conceptual issues in systematics and evolution.All biological research depends on accurate species identifications and taxonomic classifications that reflect, to the extent possible, phylogenetic relationships. By improving the human resources and scientific infrastructure needed to meet these needs for a large and poorly studied group of plant-feeding insects, this project will have lasting impact on many areas of basic and applied biology. The personnel and products resulting from this project will serve as resources for the basic biological research community, the large community of economic and ecological entomologists working toward improved methods for diagnosing and managing agricultural pests, and the community of conservation biologists interested in conserving threatened species and habitats. Benefits to society at large include the education of a new generation of biological scientists with specialized expertise, dissemination of improved educational tools via the Internet, improved food security through accurate identification of plant disease vectors and other pests, and improved detection of environmental threats such as invasive species.

Auchalyph rhyncha（蝉，叶蝉，飞虱，沫蝉和树蝉）是一种多样的，经济上重要的，但研究很少的主要是树液吸吮昆虫。 已知的物种大约有42，000种，但最近的采样表明，现存物种的真实数量可能要高出许多倍。 近几十年来，能够识别这些昆虫的专家（分类学家）的数量急剧下降，这一趋势最近才开始逆转，通过之前的NSF PEET奖，重点是培训膜虫总科（叶蝉和树蝉）的新专家，这是四个主要群体中最大的。 新项目将在上一个奖项成功的基础上，通过培训其他三个类别的专家：蝉总科（蝉）、Cercopoidea（沫蝉）和Fulgoroidea（飞虱）。 该项目代表了纽约州立博物馆、伊利诺伊州自然历史调查局、康涅狄格大学和一个国际合作者小组之间的伙伴关系，其中包括退休人员，他们的专业知识涵盖了所有主要的aucherhynchan分类群。 具体目标包括：（1）培训至少一名新的专家，对四个异喙类总科的每一个进行系统学研究;（2）建立可在互联网上查阅的尾蝉总科、蝉总科和蜡蝉总科某些类群的物种数据库，以补充已为膜翅目总科建立的数据库;（3）从已知有多种动物群的采样不足的地区获得适合于形态学和分子学研究的异喙类标本;（4）完成对4个总科中每一个总科的物种描述的基于种级形态学的修订;（5）通过传统出版物和互联网传播结果（识别码、描述、系谱或系谱树、地理分布图和命名数据）。 该项目的创新方面包括：采用协调一致的培训办法，让几名具有互补专长的专家参加;利用先进工具有效综合分类信息，并以电子和传统格式制作改进的分类和识别工具;以及预期的系统发育结果对系统学和进化中基本概念问题的适用性。所有生物学研究都依赖于准确的尽可能反映系统发生关系的物种鉴定和分类学分类。 通过改善人力资源和科学基础设施，以满足对大量缺乏研究的食草昆虫的需求，该项目将对基础和应用生物学的许多领域产生持久的影响。 该项目产生的人员和产品将作为基础生物研究社区的资源，经济和生态昆虫学家的大型社区致力于改进诊断和管理农业害虫的方法，以及对保护受威胁物种和栖息地感兴趣的保护生物学家社区。 对整个社会的惠益包括：教育具有专门知识的新一代生物科学家，通过互联网传播改进的教育工具，通过准确识别植物疾病媒介和其他害虫改善粮食安全，以及改进对入侵物种等环境威胁的检测。