The insects and spiders of Thailand, one of the most biologically diverse countries in the world, will be sampled and inventoried. Various traps will monitor these arthropods in 30 of Thailand's National Parks and Wildlife Sanctuaries over a three year period. These collections will be identified to the family level and shipped to The University of Kentucky, where they will be further identified and then shipped to about 100 collaborating scientists around the world. Access to conduct research on Thailand's biodiversity is available at an unprecedented level, making previously mysterious habitats available to investigation. A window of opportunity has opened that may not exist for a prolonged period, due to political decisions, and habitat destruction caused by rapidly growing populations.
Products of the grant will be disseminated broadly through traditional publications, databases, and web products, which will be written in both Thai and English. Bridges between the international scientific community and Thailand will be built to the mutual benefit of both, and the resulting research will be of importance to Thai conservation research, and the many applied sciences that depend on good taxonomy such as the biological control of forest and agricultural pests. Products will include species checklists, new species descriptions, interactive identification keys, bigger and better collections, and an increased ability to identify insects that are a threat to the international community as invasive pest species. The research programs of all of the 100 or more collaborating scientists will be enriched with new biological data. Graduate and undergraduate students will be trained in biodiversity management both at the University of Kentucky and in Thailand.
