Systematics of the Subaerial Green Algal Order Trentepohliales (Chlorophyta, Ulvophyceae) Based on Morphological and Molecular Evidence

Trentepohliales是一种独特的绿色藻类。它们在热带和亚热带地区丰富多样，但同时也是研究最少的藻类群体之一。所有的特伦特波利亚群的代表都是非水生的。它们存在于陆地栖息地（有时称为陆上），如岩石、树皮和陆地植物的叶子上。长期被科学家忽视的这一群体包括经济和生态上重要的物种。它们中的一些是人类建筑物生物退化的代理人，而另一些则影响柑橘品种和木兰树。有些物种被用作空气质量的生物监测器和生物技术应用的化学品来源。不幸的是，关于它们的系统学、生殖学、分布、生活史和生态学的基本信息缺乏或过时。传统上，显微镜下的形态特征被用来按此顺序定义属和种。然而，初步的基因分析挑战了目前的分类，这一顺序，并揭示，形态标准本身并不与系统发育模式，敦促重大系统重排。本研究的目标是调查Trentepohliales的系统发育关系，并制定该目的现代系统治疗方法。这项研究将整合两个独立的数据集：形态数据和基因序列（核和叶绿体基因）。使用几个基因的不同水平的变异将有助于了解Trentepohliales的系统学在几个层次上。使用成膜蛋白基因将进一步有助于评估该标记在澄清Trentepohliales中细胞分裂过程的进化历史中的有用性。这项研究将建立一个现代的修订分类学处理，并将准备检索表，以确定属的形态特征的基础上，是植物遗传学相关的。研究生和几个本科生）在所有活动期间的一个现代系统处理的绿色藻类订单Trentepohliales的生产。除了同行评议的出版物和在科学会议上传播成果外，研究小组还将为当地和区域媒体、教育视频和面向K-12学生的博物馆展览提供交流。将开发一个专门关于Trentepohliales的网站，不仅针对专家，而且面向更广泛的受众;它将提供关于这一藻类群体的生物学信息、响应识别码、基因库登录号和数字成像。首席研究员将针对代表性不足的群体，并将准备（英语和西班牙语）会谈，印刷和数字资源，在美国东南部不断增长的少数民族。Trentepohliales是一个具有挑战性和重要的绿色藻类群体，应该进行全面研究，特别是在热带和亚热带地区，它们丰富多样，但随着栖息地的消失而消失。

The taxonomic order Trentepohliales is a unique group of green algae. They are abundant and diverse in tropical and subtropical regions but at the same time one of the least studied algal groups. All the representatives of the trentepohlialean group are non-aquatic. They are found in terrestrial habitats (sometimes referred to as subaerial) such as rocks, on bark of trees, and on leaves of land plants. Long-neglected by scientists, this group includes economically and ecologically important species. Some of them are agents of biodeterioration to human constructions while others are affecting citrus cultivars and Magnolia trees. Some species are being used as biomonitors of air quality and as sources of chemicals with biotechnological applications. Unfortunately, basic information on their systematics, phylogeny, distribution, life cycles, and ecology is lacking or outdated. Morphological characters at microscopic scale have been traditionally used to define genera and species in this order. However, preliminary gene analyses challenge the current taxonomy of this order, and reveal that morphological criteria alone are not correlated with phylogenetic patterns, urging major systematic rearrangements. The goal of this research is to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of the Trentepohliales and to develop a modern systematic treatment of the order. This research will integrate two independent data sets: morphological data and gene sequences (both nuclear and chloroplast genes). The use of several genes with dissimilar levels of variability will help to understand the systematics of the Trentepohliales at several levels. The use of a phragmoplastin gene will further help to evaluate the usefulness of this marker in clarifying the evolutionary history of the cell division process in the Trentepohliales. This investigation will build a modern revisionary taxonomic treatment and will prepare keys to identify genera based on morphological characters that are phylogenetically relevant.This work will provide training (one postdoctoral associate, one Ph. D. graduate student, and several undergraduates) in all activities during the production of a modern systematic treatment of the green algal order Trentepohliales. Besides peer-reviewed publications and dissemination of results at scientific meetings, the research team will generate communications for local and regional media, educational videos and museum exhibitions oriented to K-12 students. A website exclusively on Trentepohliales will be developed targeting not only specialists but also to a wider audience; it will provide information on the biology of this algal group, responsive identification keys, GenBank accession numbers, and digital imaging. The Principal Investigator will target underrepresented groups and will prepare (in English and Spanish) talks, printed and digital resources to the growing minorities in the SE USA. The Trentepohliales are a challenging and important group of green algae that should be studied comprehensively, particularly in the tropics and subtropics where they are abundant and diverse, but are disappearing as fast as their habitats are disappearing.