Collaborative Research: Phylogeny and Systematics of the Characeae (Charales)

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Stoneworts and brittleworts are types of green algae (family Characeae) that include species that are common in freshwater lakes worldwide and that are ecologically important as food and habitat for invertebrates and small fish. Stoneworts are also used in habitat remediation and are important model organisms in studies of cell biophysics. Furthermore, stoneworts are believed to be closely related to the very first plants that colonized land almost 500 million years ago. Despite their importance in ecology, basic biological research, and evolution, the relationships within this group are very poorly known. This project will study the systematics and phylogeny of this distinctive group of green algae by using modern genomic methods to re-evaluate the taxonomy of the group. The project will sample more than 200 species and use DNA sequence data from nuclear, chloroplast, and mitochondrial genes. The data produced will be used to revise the current confused classification of this group of green algae, and it will provide critical data for worldwide studies of algal diversity and evolution. The grant will support the graduate dissertation research of a Hispanic first-generation student at the City University of New York, as well as support undergraduate research involvement of students from several nearby colleges. Classroom lessons will be developed for the BioBus, an innovative mobile laboratory with state-of-the-art microscopy equipment that visits K-12 schools in the New York City region. The BioBus lessons will cover an introduction to structure and function of algae that can be observed with their research-grade microscope equipment.