| title: | Molecular phylogeny and autecology of mycorrhiza-forming resupinate thelephoroid fungi (Thelephorales, Homobasidiomycetes). |
|---|---|
| reg no: | ETF5232 |
| project type: | Estonian Science Foundation research grant |
| subject: |
1.13. Botany |
| status: | completed |
| institution: | University of Tartu |
| head of project: | Urmas Kõljalg |
| duration: | 01.01.2002 - 31.12.2005 |
| description: | 1. The spatial distribution of mycelium of the resupinate thelephoroid fungi in forest floor will be studied. The function and biological role of the mycelium will be evaluated in laboratory experiments. Applicants previous studies suggest that these fungi are of major importance for forest productivity worldwide and therefore require further autecological characterization. 2. Designed species specific primers enable to identify these taxa directly from different substrates even when DNA of other fungi present in samples. We will also apply other molecular methods (AFLP, etc) for the genet studies of the resupinate thelephoroid fungi. 3. Further development of rDNA ITS sequence database of the species of Thelephorales. The improved database of ITS regions will be utilized by other labs in Europe, Australia and North-America in order to identify mycobionts of plant roots (including mycoheterotrophic orchids). 4. We aim to study molecular phylogeny of resupinate thelephoroid fungi and to find natural placement of these taxa inside Thelephorales. Phylogenetic analyses will include also stipitate genera (Bankera, Phellodon, Hydnellum, Sarcodon, Boletopsis) and sequenced material will cover northern as well as southern hemisphere. |
| project group | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| no | name | institution | position | |
| 1. | Anu Kollom | Estonian Agricultural University | curator of the fungal culture collection | |
| 2. | Urmas Kõljalg | University of Tartu, Faculty of Biology and Geography | professor | |