9513874 Wu This award supports cooperation in studies of macrofungi of China and North America between the Field Museum of Natural History, Chicago, and the Institute of Microbiology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China. Fungi play vital roles in forest and grassland systems, yet knowledge of species diversity and distribution of fungi in many areas of the world is sparse compared to information available on nearly all animal and plant groups. The situation is especially critical in China where little is known about the biodiversity and biogeography of Chinese fungi. This project is the first study designed to obtain biodiversity data for Chinese fungi that are comparable with information from other parts of the world. During the two year study, US and Chinese scientists will conduct cooperative research on the biological diversity of macrofungi in China and undertake comparisons with the mycotas of eastern North America and Central America. The proposed research requires field work in both the US and China to sample fungal biodiversity and to collect materials for DNA analyses as well as laboratory work to assay genetic divergence among allopatric populations suing DNA RFLP and direct sequencing techniques. The combined expertise of the US and Chinese participants and the resources of their herbaria and laboratories are necessary for the successful completion of the project. Support on the Chinese side will be provided by the Chinese Academy of Sciences.
