The Caddisflies, or Trichoptera, of Costa Rica

毛翅目是许多溪流和陆地栖息地的重要组成部分。它们的卵箱是河流生态系统中营养物质流动的重要因素，它们被用作环境质量指标。Ralph Holzenthal博士建议完成一本哥斯达黎加毛翅目手册。这项工作将需要在代表主要栖息地类型的地点(加勒比和太平洋两侧的潮湿和干燥森林，加上山地地点)进行进一步的实地收集，描述数十个新物种，编制物种清单、识别检索表和图文并茂的手册(西班牙语版，英文本另行提供)。手册项目还将使哥斯达黎加国家生物多样性研究所的两名雇员获得毛翅目分类和生态学方面的高级培训，并将为今后的国内研究编制一份全面系统的参考资料集。拟议的哥斯达黎加瓢虫清单将产生广泛的影响，超出昆虫系统学的范畴。在组织一级，该项目为国际合作、培训国内从业人员和建立系统的参考资料集设定了新的标准。在应用研究的层面上，该手册将对生态研究和环境质量评估具有无价的价值。在纯研究的水平上，该项目将增进我们对热带昆虫种群多样性的了解，并将为未来热带进化和生物地理学的研究奠定基础。

Trichoptera ("caddisflies") represent a significant component of many stream and terrestrial habitats. Their egg cases are important factors in the flow of nutrients through stream ecosystems, and they are used as environmental quality indicators. Dr. Ralph Holzenthal proposes to complete a Manual of the Trichoptera of Costa Rica. This effort would entail further field collecting at sites that represent the major habitat types (moist- and dry-forests on both the Caribbean and Pacific sides, plus montane sites), description of scores of new species, preparation of species' lists, identification keys, and an illustrated manual (published in Spanish with English text made available separately). The Manual Project will also allow two employees of the Costa Rican National Biodiversity Institute to acquire advanced training in Trichoptera taxonomy and ecology, and will produce a comprehensive systematic reference collection for future in-country research. The proposed caddisfly inventory of Costa Rica will have broad implications beyond insect systematics. At an organizational level, the project sets a new standard for international collaboration, training of in-country practitioners, and construction of systematic reference collections. At the level of applied research, the manual will be invaluable for ecological studies and environmental quality assessment. At the level of pure research, the project will advance our understanding of a diverse tropical insect group, and will lay the foundation for future studies of evolution and biogeography in the tropics.