Sherwood and Presting The Hawaiian Islands constitute an isolated, volcanically-formed archipelago, that is home to a stunning species diversity. The red algae of Hawaii are no exception, and hold great potential for the discovery of previously unknown biodiversity in both marine and freshwater habitats. Hawaiian red algae have been classified based on morphological characters, and dozens of new species have been discovered over the past decades. A unique opportunity to combine molecular and morphological taxonomic expertise with an exceptionally broad ecological and geographical scope of coverage is being seized in the present study. Red algae from marine and freshwater habitats will be collected from both the main Hawaiian Islands and the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands, and assessed using three DNA sequence markers (one from each genome contained in photosynthetic organisms, nucleus, plastid, and mitochondrion) and by light microscopy. The aim of this broad collecting effort is to achieve representation of all known Hawaiian red algal species, and to discover as many undescribed species as possible. Additional collections that have been historically archived in the Bishop Museum will supplement the morphological and molecular analyses. All collections will be maintained and archived over the long term as both DNA extracts and whole specimens. The products of this research will include digital photographs of whole specimens and key microscopic characters, DNA extracts and sequence data, and location information for all specimens. All data will be organized and made publicly available through a web-based project database. The project involves extensive collaborations with prominent phycologists, the Bishop Museum, NOAA staff scientists and the Census of Marine Life CReefs project. Biodiversity studies in the Hawaiian islands benefit from the unique opportunity to conduct field surveys and laboratory research in the nations Pacific tropical area, an archipelago renowned for its extraordinarily high endemism and stunning examples of adaptive radiation. Despite the naturally high diversity of the region, most habitats face a moderate to strong degree of threat from factors such as habitat loss, alien species introductions, shoreline development and climate change. Thus, the most critical aspect of the project is the production of a snapshot of red algal biodiversity in a threatened ecosystem. The geographic setting of the University of Hawaii presents opportunities and potential for the direct involvement of Pacific island peoples as both graduate and undergraduate students, and the project will be largely executed by students and postdoctoral fellows based at the University of Hawaii. Through field collections, microscopic taxonomic study and molecular analyses, participating scientists will bring together the information for the most comprehensive and well-organized tropical algal database available. All DNA extracts from the study will be archived in a total genomic DNA library at the University of Hawaii, which will act as a molecular biodiversity repository that can be accessed at any future time for further biodiversity studies or molecular phylogenetic research. The products of this study, the web-based project database and DNA archive, will be invaluable to tropical Pacific island resource managers who may not be able to undertake full taxonomic training themselves, as well as phycologists worldwide who study evolutionary relationships of algal groups with tropical representatives.
