Systematics of the Subaerial Green Algal Order Trentepohliales (Chlorophyta, Ulvophyceae) Based on Morphological and Molecular Evidence

绿藻目是绿藻中的一个独特类群。它们在热带和亚热带地区丰富多样，但同时也是研究最少的藻类之一。所有特伦特普里亚尔族的代表都是非水生的。它们存在于陆地栖息地(有时称为地下生境)，如岩石、树皮和陆地植物的叶子上。长期被科学家忽视的这一群体包括经济和生态上重要的物种。其中一些是对人类建筑造成生物退化的因素，另一些则影响柑橘品种和木兰树。一些物种被用作空气质量的生物监测指标，并被用作生物技术应用的化学品来源。不幸的是，关于它们的系统学、系统发育、分布、生活史和生态学的基本信息缺乏或过时。传统上，在微观尺度上的形态特征被用来定义属和种。然而，初步的基因分析挑战了该目目前的分类，并揭示了形态标准本身并不与系统发育模式相关，这促使了重大的系统重新安排。这项研究的目的是为了研究网囊藻目的系统发育关系，并开发一种现代系统的处理该目。这项研究将整合两个独立的数据集：形态数据和基因序列(包括核基因和叶绿体基因)。使用变异性水平不同的几个基因将有助于在多个水平上理解扁尾藻目的系统学。膜纤溶酶基因的使用将进一步有助于评估该标记在阐明鞭毛菌目细胞分裂过程的进化史方面的有用性。这项调查将建立一个现代修正的分类方法，并将准备检索表，以根据系统发育相关的形态特征识别属。这项工作将提供所有活动的培训(一名博士后助理，一名博士后研究生和几名本科生)，在生产绿色藻目Trentpohliales的现代系统处理过程中。除了同行评议的出版物和在科学会议上传播成果外，研究小组还将为当地和区域媒体、教育录像带和面向K-12学生的博物馆展览提供交流。将开发一个专门针对Trentpohliales的网站，不仅面向专家，而且面向更广泛的受众；它将提供关于该藻类的生物学、响应识别关键字、GenBank登录号和数字成像的信息。首席调查员将针对代表性不足的群体，并将为美国东南部日益增长的少数群体准备(英语和西班牙语)讲座、印刷和数字资源。绿藻目是一类具有挑战性和重要的绿藻，应该进行全面的研究，特别是在热带和亚热带，它们丰富多样，但随着栖息地的消失，绿藻的消失速度也在加快。

The taxonomic order Trentepohliales is a unique group of green algae. They are abundant and diverse in tropical and subtropical regions but at the same time one of the least studied algal groups. All the representatives of the trentepohlialean group are non-aquatic. They are found in terrestrial habitats (sometimes referred to as subaerial) such as rocks, on bark of trees, and on leaves of land plants. Long-neglected by scientists, this group includes economically and ecologically important species. Some of them are agents of biodeterioration to human constructions while others are affecting citrus cultivars and Magnolia trees. Some species are being used as biomonitors of air quality and as sources of chemicals with biotechnological applications. Unfortunately, basic information on their systematics, phylogeny, distribution, life cycles, and ecology is lacking or outdated. Morphological characters at microscopic scale have been traditionally used to define genera and species in this order. However, preliminary gene analyses challenge the current taxonomy of this order, and reveal that morphological criteria alone are not correlated with phylogenetic patterns, urging major systematic rearrangements. The goal of this research is to investigate the phylogenetic relationships of the Trentepohliales and to develop a modern systematic treatment of the order. This research will integrate two independent data sets: morphological data and gene sequences (both nuclear and chloroplast genes). The use of several genes with dissimilar levels of variability will help to understand the systematics of the Trentepohliales at several levels. The use of a phragmoplastin gene will further help to evaluate the usefulness of this marker in clarifying the evolutionary history of the cell division process in the Trentepohliales. This investigation will build a modern revisionary taxonomic treatment and will prepare keys to identify genera based on morphological characters that are phylogenetically relevant.This work will provide training (one postdoctoral associate, one Ph. D. graduate student, and several undergraduates) in all activities during the production of a modern systematic treatment of the green algal order Trentepohliales. Besides peer-reviewed publications and dissemination of results at scientific meetings, the research team will generate communications for local and regional media, educational videos and museum exhibitions oriented to K-12 students. A website exclusively on Trentepohliales will be developed targeting not only specialists but also to a wider audience; it will provide information on the biology of this algal group, responsive identification keys, GenBank accession numbers, and digital imaging. The Principal Investigator will target underrepresented groups and will prepare (in English and Spanish) talks, printed and digital resources to the growing minorities in the SE USA. The Trentepohliales are a challenging and important group of green algae that should be studied comprehensively, particularly in the tropics and subtropics where they are abundant and diverse, but are disappearing as fast as their habitats are disappearing.