Category: Article

Tags

Published: January 5, 2015

Is everything everywhere? - Understanding hidden diversity of tropical lichens

Stephanie Ware, Manager, Morphology Labs, SEM

Project Mentor: Dr. Thorsten Lumbsch (Curator, Botany, Integrative Research Center)

Project Description: Lichen-forming fungi are a unique group of fungi that live in close associations with photosynthetic symbiotic partner (algae or cyanobacteria) that provide energy for the symbiotic system. The diversity of lichenized fungi is poorly known, especially in tropical habitats. Traditionally, fungi, including lichens were thought to have wide distributions and that geographical distributions are primarily shaped by ecology. In a project focusing on the tropical lichen family Stictaceae, this project will address species delimitation in lichens in an evolutionary context and testing hypotheses of wide distribution of species. DNA sequence data of selected genes will be generated in the Pritzker Laboratory for Molecular Systematics and analyzed to address the delimitation of species. Previous studies have shown that cryptic diversity (i.e. morphologically similar organisms are genetically separate) is common among lichenized fungi and recent estimates suggest that the number of tropical lichens is about 25% higher than previously assumed. These molecular studies will be complemented by studies on micromorphology and secondary chemistry of the studied samples to attempt a phenotypical circumscription of the groups found in the molecular analysis.

Research methods and techniques: Interns in this project will receive training in molecular and organismal research methods. They will learn how important a combination of both methods is for an understanding of the evolution of the diversity of life. The training will include introduction to the literature, handling of herbarium specimens. Chemical examination will include chromatographic methods, such as HPTLC. Morphological studies will include light microscopy. Molecular methods will include DNA isolation, PCR and subsequent direct sequencing of certain gene regions. Subsequently, the analysis of DNA sequence data will be performed.

Stephanie Ware
Manager, Morphology Labs

Stephanie started volunteering at the Field Museum in 1998, working with Curator John Bates in the Bird Division. In 1999, John Bates hired her as a research assistant. After that project finished in 2007, she went to work for Carl Dick in the Division of Insects helping him to complete his work on the museum's Bat Fly collection. She spent a great deal of time generating images for the Bat Fly portion of theDiptera Taxonomy Database. When Carl left for University of Kentucky in 2009, she continued her imaging work in the Insect Division. In the intervening years, she has imaged hundreds specimens, mostly types, from the rove beetle (Staphylinidae), ant and myriapoda collections.

Stephanie began working with the Chicago Peregrine Program in 2006.  Initially, she monitored the Metropolitan Correctional Center nest in downtown Chicago.  Over time, her duties have expanded to include other nests in the metro region, emphasizing the identification of nesting adults.  In March of 2007, Stephanie created a group called Midwest Peregrine Falcons on the photo sharing website Flickr with the goal of providing a place for photographers across the country to submit their photographs of peregrine sightings in the Midwestern United States. She also has many of her own peregrine photos on Flickr as well.

Related content,Check this out