REVSYS: Phylogenetic and Taxonomic Revision of Chytridiales (Chytridiomycota)

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Chytridiales (=chytrids) are zoosporic fungi comprising over 320 species. As parasites of algae and decomposers of pollen, cellulose, chitin and keratin in soil and aquatic ecosystems, chytrids are environmentally important, impacting primary productivity and serving as critical links in food webs. Despite their ecological significance, patterns of biodiversity and the evolutionary history of chytrids are poorly known. In this project, chytrids will be collected and cultured from diverse habitats in southeastern and gulf coast US states, with an emphasis on algal parasites. Phylogenetic analyses of phenotypic structures, as well as multiple gene sequences, will be used to identify isolates and to conduct phylogenetic analyses. Newly discovered species will be described and monographed.Taxonomic summaries, with interactive keys and illustrations, will be posted on a web site and published in journals, making these data openly accessible. Many new cultures will be made available to other researchers. A post-doctoral researcher will be trained, filling the void of chytrid specialists, and graduate and undergraduate students will learn modern techniques in systematics and the study of biodiversity. Program participants will present workshops to Alabama Science in Motion high school teachers and will contribute species pages to the Encyclopedia of Life, expanding knowledge of chytrids to a global community.