Fungi of Carolinian Canada

加拿大卡罗莱纳州的真菌

• 批准号: RGPIN-2022-04635
• 负责人: Thorn, RGreg
• 金额: $ 2.91万
• 依托单位: University of Western Ontario
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=745914
• 关键词: Fungi; Carolinian; Canada

The southernmost part of Ontario forms what Canadians call the Carolinian Zone, better known as the Temperate Deciduous Forest Biome. Under 5% of the original forest cover in the region remains today. Many Species at Risk in Canada among birds, herptiles and vascular plants are known only from this region, but the status of most fungi is unknown. The goal of this research program is to determine the species composition of the fungal communities of Carolinian Canada, and to use our findings to test predictions and answer fundamental scientific questions of fungal biology. Since the Carolinian Zone is home to the greatest diversity of plants, insects, and vertebrates in Canada, we predict that it is likely to host the greatest diversity of macrofungi as well, and certainly many species that are new to science (undescribed) or have not been found previously in Canada. What common species, rarities, and biogeographical patterns will emerge? Is there evidence of a recent northward extension of species ranges, or the loss of other species, with climate change and increased anthropogenic disturbance? Is fungal diversity concentrated in protected areas, or present in areas whose future is insecure? We will survey macrofungi of Carolinian Canada by 1) Databasing existing fungal collections from Carolinian Canada in Toronto (ROM) and mine Mycoportal.org for databased collections held in other herbaria. 2) Working with parks and conservation area managers, First Nations groups, and local naturalists, four MSc and one PhD students will conduct surveys of macrofungi in key ecological reserves from May 2022 through April 2025. Periodic BioBlitzes will boost collections and raise the online profile of this project. This sampling will add to the list based on historic collections and provide fresh samples for DNA sequence verification. 3) During fungal surveys held in ecological reserves during 2022-2025 and beyond, we will collect ~1000 samples of soils and other fungal substrates for DNA metabarcoding. Graduate students conducting this work will also mine sequence data from previous studies available through online sequence repositories. "Gap analysis" of under-sampled habitats and fungal taxa will provide a focus for future studies. Species-accumulation curves of historic and recent collections and sequences will give coverage estimates of areas sampled, recognizing that "completion" is beyond the scope of a 5-year effort. Nonetheless, we predict that this program will yield a large increase in the fungi known from Canada, and it will provide exceptional career training to 5 graduate students and multiple undergraduate student assistants. There is a growing recognition of the importance of fungi in terrestrial ecosystems. Our findings will provide critical evidence necessary to make accurate and informed management decisions in an ecologically special region that is highly threatened by development, pollution, and climate change - and right in our back yard.

安大略省的最南端形成了加拿大人所说的卡罗莱纳地带，更为人所知的是温带落叶森林生物群。今天，该地区原始森林覆盖率不到5%。在加拿大，鸟类、疱疹动物和维管束植物中的许多濒危物种仅在该地区已知，但大多数真菌的状况尚不清楚。这项研究计划的目标是确定加拿大卡罗莱纳州真菌群落的物种组成，并利用我们的发现来检验预测和回答真菌生物学的基本科学问题。由于卡罗莱纳地带是加拿大植物、昆虫和脊椎动物的最大多样性的家园，我们预测它也可能是大型真菌的最大多样性的所在地，当然还有许多新的科学物种(未描述)或以前在加拿大没有发现的物种。会出现哪些常见的物种、稀有物种和生物地理模式？是否有证据表明，随着气候变化和人为干扰的增加，物种范围最近向北扩展，或其他物种的丧失？真菌多样性是集中在保护区，还是存在于未来不安全的地区？我们将通过以下方式调查卡罗莱尼亚加拿大的大型真菌：1)将多伦多卡罗莱尼亚加拿大现有的真菌收藏品建立数据库(只读存储器)，并从MyCoportal.org获取其他草本植物的数据库收藏品。2)与公园和保护区经理、原住民团体和当地博物学家合作，四名硕士和一名博士生将在2022年5月至2025年4月期间对关键生态保护区的大型真菌进行调查。定期的生物收集将促进收藏，并提高该项目的在线知名度。这一采样将根据历史收集添加到列表中，并为DNA序列验证提供新鲜样本。3)在2022-2025年及以后的生态保护区真菌调查期间，我们将收集约1000个土壤和其他真菌底物样本进行DNA元生物编码。进行这项工作的研究生还将从以前的研究中挖掘序列数据，这些数据可以通过在线序列存储库获得。对采样不足的栖息地和真菌分类群的“差距分析”将为未来的研究提供重点。历史和近期采集和测序的物种积累曲线将给出采样区域的覆盖估计，认识到“完成”超出了5年努力的范围。尽管如此，我们预计该项目将使加拿大已知的真菌数量大幅增加，并将为5名研究生和多名本科生助理提供特殊的职业培训。人们越来越认识到真菌在陆地生态系统中的重要性。我们的发现将为在一个受到发展、污染和气候变化高度威胁的生态特殊地区--就在我们的后院--做出准确和知情的管理决策提供必要的关键证据。