PEET: Monographic Research on Parasitic Hymenoptera

9712543沃顿商学院寄生膜翅目(黄蜂)种类极其多样，包含约70,000个已描述物种，但尽管它们在了解陆地生态系统方面具有重要意义，但在分类学上却知之甚少。几乎所有寄生的膜翅目都是其他昆虫的寄生蜂，而且许多都是寄主特有的。因此，它们是自然生态系统复杂食物网的重要组成部分，为管理生态系统中的害虫提供了宝贵的天敌来源。改进的寄生蜂分类和更自然的分类将有助于更好地描述和管理生物多样性，并将直接支持旨在更可持续地发展农业、减少对环境的负面影响的研究。这项由Robert A.Wharton、James B.Wooley和他的同事进行的研究，将提供寄生膜翅目四个关键类群的全面分类专著。该项目将解决寄生膜翅目四个主要谱系(总科)的四个科的分类需求：1)茧蜂科(姬蜂总科)，2)斑蜂科(总科)，3)真蜂科(食蜂总科)，和4)蜂科(原原蜂总科)。具体目标是在全世界范围内对这些科的关键属进行专题治疗，治疗近1000个物种。四名博士生将在该项目的过程中接受培训，每个主要血统中都有一名。该项目的合作性质(包括来自四个不同国家的专家)将为学生在现代、基于收藏的系统学研究的所有方面提供特别广泛的培训和经验。培训将强调物种一级的分类方法，包括计算机/视频辅助图像分析，以及字符数据以及宿主和所在地数据的计算机数据库。

9712543 WHARTON Parasitic Hymenoptera (wasps) are extraordinarily diverse, containing some 70,000 described species, but comparatively poorly known taxonomically despite their importance in understanding terrestrial ecosystems. Virtually all parasitic Hymenoptera are parasitoids of other insects and many are quite host-specific. They are therefore essential components in the complex food webs of natural ecosystems and they provide a valuable source of natural enemies for pest insects in managed ecosystems. Improved taxonomy and more natural classifications of parasitic wasps will enable better characterization and management of biological diversity, and it will directly support research directed at a more sustainable agriculture with fewer negative impacts on the environment. This research, by Robert A. Wharton, James B. Wooley and colleagues, will provide comprehensive taxonomic monographs in four key groups of parasitic Hymenoptera. The project will address taxonomic needs in four families representing four major lineages (superfamilies) of parasitic Hymenoptera: 1) Braconidae (superfamily Ichneumonoidea), 2) Encyrtidae (superfamily Chalcidoidea), 3) Eucoilidae (superfamily Cynipoidea), and 4) Diapriidae (superfamily Proctotrupoidea). Specific objectives are to produce worldwide monographic treatments of key genera in each of these families, treating nearly 1000 species. Four Ph.D. students will be trained in the course of the project, one in each major lineage to be addressed. The collaborative nature of the project (including specialists from four different countries) will provide exceptionally broad training and experience for the students in all aspects of modern, collection-based systematics research. Training will emphasize taxonomic methodology at the species-level, including computer/video-aided image analysis, and computer databasing of character data as well as host and locality data.