PBI: Diversity and The Parasitoid Life History Sstrategy - The Superfamily Platygastroidea (Hymenoptera)

寄生昆虫，特别是寄生黄蜂，是对其他昆虫和蜘蛛种群的极其重要的自然控制，包括许多在农业、林业和人畜健康方面的重要害虫。这个项目将在全球范围内调查一种主要的寄生黄蜂群体--腹扁蜂总科。其主要目标是：(1)描述并命名2,000多种扁平腹目动物；(2)深入探索世界上鲜为人知的扁平腹目动物群丰富的地区，特别是巴西的大西洋森林、东南亚的热带森林、印度的西高止山脉和南非的干旱土地；以及(3)利用它们的解剖和DNA序列数据，对扁腹总科的进化史进行全面的分析。由诺曼·F·约翰逊博士(俄亥俄州立大学)和安德鲁·D·奥斯汀博士(澳大利亚阿德莱德大学)领导的来自九个国家的多国小组已经聚集在一起，以实现这些目标。实现这些目标的战略核心是使用数据库和互联网工具--一种网络基础设施--使世界各地的研究人员能够存储和分析数据、图像和文献；自动将结果传播给最广泛的用户；并实时合作。这种电子“联合实验室”的设计是为了最大限度地提高有限数量的专家的效率和生产力。对博士后助理、研究生和本科生的支持将为青年科学家提供国际一级的生物多样性科学和信息学方面的培训和经验。

Parasitic insects, and particularly parasitic wasps, are extremely important natural controls on the populations of other insects and spiders, including many important pests in agriculture, forestry, and human and animal health. This project will survey, on a global scale, one major group of parasitic wasps, the Platygastroidea. The main goals are to (1) describe and name the more than 2000 species of the Scelionini; (2) intensively explore poorly known areas of the world with rich platygastroid faunas, particularly the Atlantic forest of Brazil, tropical forests of southeast Asia, the Western Ghats of India, and the arid lands of South Africa; and (3) conduct a comprehensive analysis of the evolutionary history of Platygastroidea, using data from both their anatomy and DNA sequences. A multinational group from nine countries has been brought together to accomplish these goals, led by Dr. Norman F. Johnson (The Ohio State University) and Dr. Andrew D. Austin (University of Adelaide, Australia).Central to the strategy to accomplish these goals is the use of databasing and Internet tools - a cyberinfrastructure - that will allow researchers around the world to store and analyze data, images, and literature; automatically disseminate results to the widest range of users; and work together in real time. This electronic "co-laboratory" is designed to maximize the efficiency and productivity of the limited number of specialists on this group. Support for postdoctoral associates, graduate students, and undergraduate students will provide young scientists with training and experience in biodiversity science and informatics at the international level.