Discovery and Prediction of Hidden Biodiversity in Black Flies (Diptera: Simuliidae)

该奖项是根据2009年美国复苏和再投资法案(公法111-5)资助的。黑蝇是全球范围内在流水中繁殖的2000多种具有重要医学价值的食血昆虫。它们在结构上很相似，许多物种，被称为神秘物种，在显微镜下很难区分。将使用一种综合的方法来揭示和预测分布广泛的珍宁斯黑蝇种群中隐藏的生物多样性。细胞遗传学、结构和分子分析将被应用于发现群体中的隐蔽物种，表征所有物种的生态位宽度，利用这些特征来预测隐藏的生物多样性，并推断系统发育以阐明群体的进化--S生物轨迹。鉴于隐蔽物种的广泛存在，这种多学科方法提供了一个适用于许多生物群的模型。生态特征将提供强大的探测器，以检测否则可能被遗漏的生物多样性，从而避免在理解和管理生物系统方面出现一连串错误。形态学、细胞遗传学、分子系统学和生态学方面的专业知识将作为一套完整的技能传授给下一代生物多样性科学家。该项目将提供对管理黑蝇至关重要的基础研究，并将通过专门的网页、与国家赞助的管理项目合作和持续的对话让公众参与进来。

"This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5)."Black flies are a worldwide group of more than 2,000 species of medically important, blood-feeding insects that breed in flowing water. They are structurally similar and many species, known as cryptic species, defy distinction under the microscope. An integrated approach will be used to reveal and predict hidden biodiversity in black flies of the widespread Simulium jenningsi group. Cytogenetic, structural, and molecular analyses will be applied to detect cryptic species in the group, characterize the niche breadth of all species, use these characterizations to predict hidden biodiversity, and infer a phylogeny to illuminate evolution of the group?s biological traits.Given the widespread existence of cryptic species, this multidisciplinary approach provides a model applicable to many groups of organisms. Ecological traits will provide powerful probes to detect biodiversity that otherwise might be missed, thereby avoiding a cascade of errors in understanding and managing biological systems. Expertise in morphology, cytogenetics, molecular systematics, and ecology will be taught as an integrated package of skills to the next generation of biodiversity scientists. The project will provide fundamental research essential to managing black flies, and will involve the public through dedicated web pages, cooperation with state-sponsored management programs, and ongoing dialogue.