Phylogenetics of corticolous early incidence Dothideomycetes
Abstract
Integrating described fungi into their phylogenetic tree of life is far leaping behind the detection of fungi in the environment by modern sequencing techniques in ecological studies. Insertion of the latter organisms that are solely known from ITS sequences and naming them is hampered by the numerous gaps still present in current trees based on molecular phylogeny. The project defined here aims at filling some of the gaps in the phylogeny of the Ascomycota, in particular within the Pleosporales of the Dothideomycetes. As this is a large order, the study is limited to fungi that form fructifications in bark of trees and shrubs early after death of the respective plants. Such fungi are of broad interest, because they may be primary invaders and causal agents of plant death or secondary invaders and saprotrophs. In particular the study is concentrated on the family Pleomassariaceae and the genus Valsaria, where the proposer has already comprehensive data, and the family Cucurbitariaceae, where little is known from a molecular perspective, but where good morphological information is available, still a large number of additional species and a splitting into several genera may be expected. The main activities of the project include therefore an analysis of Cucurbitaria primarily based on teleomorphs on the generic and species level, with respect of biodiversity in Europe, especially on the complex host family Leguminosae, phylogenetic structure, and relationships with anamorphs, which will be assessed by their formation in culture and by sequencing of putative anamorphs associated with teleomorphs on the natural hosts. The taxonomy of the species will be clarified and adapted to the new regulations as defined in the drastically altered new International Code of Nomenclature for algae, fungi, and plants (Melbourne Code, ICN). In addition, the postulate that abundant fructifications on recently dead or partly still living plant parts may indicate endophytic lifestyle will be assessed in this project using model species of Cucurbitaria. Other genera of the Pleosporales, particularly such that are often confounded with Cucurbitaria or which are difficult to define and strongly call for clarifications in order to provide for a better understanding of phylogenetic and evolutionary relationships of pleosporalean fungi, are planned to be included in the study, depending on availability and residual time and work capacity left by the activities defined above. The include genera like Chaetoplea, Cucurbidothis, Fenestella, Karstenula or Teichospora, and those where sequence information has been accumulated recently in the lab of the proposer such as Melanomma, Ohleria, Requienella or Thyridaria. Representative cultures will be preserved in a publicly accessible strain collection for future research in other disciplines. Essential barcoding information will be provided.
keywords biodiversity phylogeny ornamental shrubs Dothideomycetes Fungi
Publikationen
Project staff
Walter Michael Jaklitsch
Dipl.-Ing. Dr. Walter Michael Jaklitsch
Project Leader
01.03.2014 - 02.11.2018