Deutsche Version
Objectives
Information System
IDEAL-Module
Ehrenberg Collection
Molecular and Ecological Data of Diatoms
Molecular and Morphological Data of Cultures
Aero-Terrestrial Greens and Bluegreens
Diatom Names by Lange-Bertalot et al.
Publications
Algae-Links
The AlgaTerra IDEAL-module
Background
The taxonomy and nomenclature of many algae, especially when described well before the age of electron microscopy
by means of small magnification and line drawings, is often ambiguous. Due to changes in the species concepts in the
last decades the meaning of autecological and biogeographical data in the literature have become blurred or even useless
as much of it can no longer be linked to modern taxa concepts. This impedes studies of changes in biodiversity that
contribute to global change research. Taxonomic problems are also often caused by collections of old type materials
which have been difficult to access until recently, such as the one by C.G. Ehrenberg (1795-1876), who described taxa
from habitats all over the world.
Current molecular biological methods for phylogenetic and taxonomic research cannot by themselves be directly linked to
such important historical data. Statements about algal types in old collections, algal samples from before anthropogenic
environmental changes, and microfossiles (important indicators for paleoclimate reconstruction) must, by the nature of the
material, still be based on a detailed knowledge of their taxonomic relevant morphological features (taken from the type
specimen and the protologue). Only by synthesizing the results from traditional and modern methods is it possible to link
historical and modern data sets together.
The IDEAL-Module (Internet Database of Ehrenberg’s Algae Lectotypes) will supply the ‘traditional’ half for such a
synthesis:
evaluated original data on algal types as a calibration tool for the identification of micro-algae using modern taxonomic
concepts and molecular methods.
Objectives of the project
- a. digitization of algal types, especially Ehrenberg's taxa
- b. digitization, translation and evaluation of protologue data
Contact
Dr. Regine Jahn (joint project coordinator)
Botanic Garden und Botanical Museum Berlin-Dahlem, Free University Berlin
Königin-Luise-Str. 6-8, D-14195 Berlin
Phone: +49 (0) 30 838-50142, Fax: +49 (0) 30 841729-42
This page last updated on 25-05-2004
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