CAREER: Evolution in the Eastern Mediterranean Campanulaceae - Integrating Information Management and Scientific Workflows in Daily Research and Teaching

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CAREER: Evolution in the Eastern Mediterranean Campanulaceae - Integrating Information Management and Scientific Workflows in Daily Research and TeachingThis project will explore biological diversity and biogeography of Campanulaceae (bell flower family) in the Mediterranean Basin in order to understand plant population dynamics in continental islands that are under extraordinary pressure from humans and animals. The intricate geological history and the significant human pressure on the environment have dramatically shaped the biodiversity of this region. Many endemic species are confined to restricted localities, and are threatened and highly dependent on habitat conservation. Moreover, an ever-increasing need to extend phylogenetic analyses to additional markers and taxa underlines a grand challenge for informatics and computational sciences. Therefore, this research will integrate science and technology by developing a novel research environment where the data generated will be automatically processed into relevant analytical workflows. This approach to scientific analyses is more efficient, but hard to achieve without the technical skills and appropriate infrastructure.The results of this research will have an impact on conservation planning by better informing researchers, educators, policy and decision makers about species dynamics in ecosystems like the Mediterranean (e.g., in California). A fundamental strength is the integration of science and technology research with training and curriculum development for K-12 and higher education. Outreach to the public will be through a museum exhibit developed at the Florida Museum of Natural History. This project will increase technology capacity and will serve not just as a test-bed but also importantly, as a foundational library that biological scientists, educators, and others can use.