PEET: Using monographs, cybertaxonomy, and phylogenetics to train a future generation of water mite systematists (Acari: Hydrachnidiae)

水螨是淡水栖息地（如溪流、河流、池塘和湖泊）中数量最多、种类最多、生态最重要的节肢动物类群之一。不幸的是，很少有人知道北美的水螨生物学和多样性，使水螨纳入研究计划几乎不可能。此外，世界各地的水螨专家很少，近几十年来在北美培训的专家也很少。该项目将重点关注最丰富和多样的水螨科之一--Torrenticolidae，阿肯色州大学和加拿大国家收藏馆的研究人员将通过以下目标培训新一代专家：1）收集、鉴定和描述北美物种; 2）建立现代化的简化方法，通过在线资源和科学出版物大大加快从发现到传播数据的时间;该项目的成功完成将有助于深入了解水螨的生物学和进化，使分类过程现代化，通过项目网站向广大受众在线传播成果和互动工具，并培养新一代专家。此外，外联工作将通过在国家公园举行的讲习班和介绍会，提高公众对自然世界中很少有人想到的一部分（螨）的了解。最后，对北美激流螨的全面了解将允许在其他研究项目中跨学科使用这些螨，例如那些专注于水生群落动态，生物多样性和水质生物监测的项目，所有这些都可能对淡水栖息地的保护状况和趋势产生影响。

Water mites are among the most abundant, diverse and ecologically important arthropod groups in freshwater habitats like streams, rivers, ponds and lakes. Unfortunately, very little is known about water mite biology and diversity in North America, making incorporation of water mites into research programs nearly impossible. Additionally, very few water mite experts exist worldwide and few experts have been trained in North America during recent decades. This project will focus on one of the most abundant and diverse water mite families, Torrenticolidae, and researchers at the University of Arkansas and the Canadian National Collection will train a new generation of specialists by undertaking the following objectives: 1) collect, identify and describe North American species; 2) establish a modern streamlined approach to greatly speed up the time from discovery to dissemination of data through online resources and scientific publications; and 3) establish genealogical relationships between groups of water mites.Successful completion of the project will contribute in-depth understanding of water mite biology and evolution, modernize the taxonomic process, disseminate results and interactive tools to a wide audience online through a project website and train a new generation of experts. Additionally, outreach efforts will enhance the public's understanding of a part of the natural world few think about (mites) through workshops and presentations held in national parks. Lastly, the comprehensive knowledge on torrenticolids of North America will allow cross-disciplinary use of these mites in other research programs, such as those focusing on aquatic community dynamics, biodiversity and water quality bio-monitoring, all of which could have impacts on conservation status and trends in freshwater habitats.