A Comprehensive Biotic Survey of Philippine Land Vertebrates and Their Parasites

该项目是一个综合团队的努力，旨在全面调查、审查和总结菲律宾陆生脊椎动物及其寄生虫的生物多样性。菲律宾已被指定为“超级多样性国家”和“全球保护热点”（与马达加斯加共享的区别），但其生物多样性在很大程度上仍不为人所知，未得到充分重视，也未被描述。该项目将在全国50多个地点调查脊椎动物和寄生虫的多样性——跨越海拔、气候、栖息地和季节梯度。结果将是一个前所未有的最高质量的博物馆标本收藏，其中包括估计2500-3000个物种的完整、数字化和网络服务附带数据。新的生物多样性信息产品将包括供生物多样性专家使用的数字收集数据、动物群摘要、密钥和实地指南以及新宿主和寄生虫分类群的描述。二级结果将包括概念性研究，以及对两栖动物（壶菌）和鸟类（禽流感）生物多样性构成直接威胁的新出现传染病的调查。通过针对iucn分类的“数据缺乏”物种和“关键生物多样性地区”，该项目将以前所未有的规模向政策制定者和保护界提供信息。这项研究将为许多本科生和研究生提供重要的教育机会，包括许多菲律宾裔美国人和其他在科学领域未被充分代表的群体。

The project is an integrated team effort to comprehensively survey, review, and summarize the biodiversity of terrestrial vertebrates and their parasites in the Philippines. The Philippines has been designated a "megadiverse country" and a "global conservation hotspot" (distinctions shared only with Madagascar), yet its biodiversity remains largely unknown, underappreciated, and undescribed. This project will survey vertebrate and parasite diversity at more than 50 sites throughout the country- across elevational, climatological, habitat, and seasonal gradients. The results will be an unprecedented collection of finest-quality museum specimens with complete, digitized and web-served accompanying data for an estimated 2500-3000 species.New biodiversity information products will include digital collection data, faunal summaries, keys and field guides, and descriptions of new host and parasite taxa for use by biodiversity specialists. Second-order results will include conceptual studies, and investigation of emerging infectious diseases presenting immediate threats to amphibian (chytrid fungus), and bird (avian influenza) biodiversity. By targeting IUCN-categorized "Data Deficient" species and "Key Biodiversity Areas," the project will inform policy makers and the conservation community on a scale never before realized. This research will provide significant educational opportunities for many undergraduate and graduate students, including numerous Filipino-Americans and other underrepresented groups in science.