More Than Meets the Eye – Revealing the Hidden Diversity of the Ubiquitous Class, Leotiomycetes
The class Leotiomycetes represents a large and strikingly diverse group of fungi in the phylum Ascomycota. Taxa in this class play key roles in ecosystem functioning, nutrient cycling, and are found in all explored environments. Known ecologies from this clade are highly varied, comprising a number of economically and ecologically important animal and plant pathogens, including species of Pseudogymnoascus such as P. destructans (the causal agent of white nose syndrome in bats) and P. pannorum (a human pathogen), and the white mold, Sclerotinia, capable of infecting over 400 species of plants. Leotiomycetes fungi are also important producers of secondary metabolites, including the anamorphic fungus Glarea lozoyensis, which makes pneumocandin B – the precursor to the potent antifungal drug, Caspofungin B.
Despite their ecological and economic importance and geographical ubiquity, it has been estimated that only 5-7% of Leotiomycetes diversity has been formally described and their taxonomy has been based in large part on the diversity typical of the temperate, eastern Northern Hemisphere.
In an effort to broaden our current understanding of Leotiomycetes systematics, function, and biodiversity and address the paucity of sampling outside of Europe, the Quandt Lab conducted several significant inaugural expeditions to sample and describe Leotiomycetes fungi en masse from geographically and environmentally diverse, and historically under sampled, regions in Central America and on the African continent.
See more field work related to this research by visiting the Mozambique and Panama pages!
Despite their ecological and economic importance and geographical ubiquity, it has been estimated that only 5-7% of Leotiomycetes diversity has been formally described and their taxonomy has been based in large part on the diversity typical of the temperate, eastern Northern Hemisphere.
In an effort to broaden our current understanding of Leotiomycetes systematics, function, and biodiversity and address the paucity of sampling outside of Europe, the Quandt Lab conducted several significant inaugural expeditions to sample and describe Leotiomycetes fungi en masse from geographically and environmentally diverse, and historically under sampled, regions in Central America and on the African continent.
See more field work related to this research by visiting the Mozambique and Panama pages!
Photo Credits:
Thiago Kossmann
Alisha Quandt
Arthur Grupe
Candice Perrotta
Thiago Kossmann
Alisha Quandt
Arthur Grupe
Candice Perrotta