MSB/PEET: PolyPEET: Enhancing taxonomic expertise in the Polyporales

Polyporales是一种多样的真菌，包括“支架真菌”、壳状真菌、鳃状蘑菇等。近年来，关于多孔虫的主要类群是如何相互关联的，已经有了很多新的信息，但属水平的分类仍然没有得到很好的解决，很可能有许多物种尚未被发现。为了了解多孔目的多样性，必须将传统的分类学方法与形态学和现代分子方法相结合。然而，不幸的是，很少有真菌学家在这两个领域都有专门知识，而且世界上许多专家已经退休或即将退休。该项目的目标是：1)培养具有形态学和分子方法专业知识的下一代真菌分类学家；2)选编水螅属综合专著；3)为真菌学家和公众创造信息学资源；(4)促进国际Polyporales分类学家协会的发展；5)鼓励代表性不足群体的成员参与科学；6)提高高中学生和教育工作者对真菌学的认识。拟议的研究和培训活动将由一个由四名“主要合作者”和五名“实习生”组成的国际团队进行，其中包括三名博士生和两名早期博士后研究人员。真菌作为腐烂者和病原体，对人类事务有着深远的影响。它们也作为有益的共生体，提供食物、药物和其他有用的生物化学物质，并作为遗传学和分子生物学的模型系统。然而，据估计，只有5-10%的真菌物种被描述。Polyporales含有许多木材腐烂真菌，以及木材病原体。它们在碳循环中起着重要作用，并产生各种分解木质素和纤维素的酶。对Polyporales的专题研究将提高对生物多样性的认识，并将为生物燃料生产、生物修复和其他“绿色”技术的应用研究提供资源。

The Polyporales is a diverse group of fungi that includes "bracket fungi," crust-like forms, gilled mushrooms, and others. Recent years have seen much new information on how the major groups of polypores are related to each other, but genus-level classification remains poorly resolved, and it is likely that many species remain undiscovered. To understand the diversity of Polyporales, classical taxonomic approaches must be combined with morphology and modern molecular methods. Unfortunately, however, few mycologists have expertise in both areas, and many of the world's experts are retired or are nearing retirement. The goals of this project are: 1) To train the next generation of fungal taxonomists with expertise in morphological and molecular methods; 2) To produce comprehensive monographs of selected genera of Polyporales; 3) To create informatics resources for mycologists and the general public; 4) To promote development of an international community of Polyporales taxonomists; 5) To encourage participation in science by members of underrepresented groups; and, 6) To raise awareness about mycology among high school students and educators. The proposed research and training activities will be conducted by an international team of four "Principal Collaborators," and five "Trainees," including three PhD students and two early-career post-doctoral researchers.As decayers and pathogens, Fungi have profound impacts on human affairs. They also function as beneficial symbionts, provide food, drugs, and other useful biochemicals, and serve as model systems for genetics and molecular biology. However, it is estimated that only 5-10% of the species of Fungi have been described. The Polyporales contains many wood-decay fungi, as well as timber pathogens. They play an important role in the carbon cycle, and produce diverse enzymes that break down lignin and cellulose. Monographic studies in Polyporales will improve understanding of biodiversity and will provide resources for applied research into biofuel production, bioremediation, and other "green" technologies.