FESIN 2008
A workshop and oral session are planned during the Ecological Society Meeting this summer. There is also an MSA session that might be of interest to you. Were excited about these events and hope that you will attend and participate. Please, mark your calendars! [See also www.bio.utk.edu/fesin for updates and further information]
Please note the following deadlines:
ESA meeting, August 3-8 2008 in Milwaukee, WI. Abstract deadline is Feb 28th.
MSA meeting, August 10-13, 2008 Pennsylvania State University, State College, PA. (MSA abstract deadlines are not yet posted.)
ESA WORKSHOP 1: Molecular Tools for Assessing Fungal Biodiversity (August 2)
ESA WORKSHOP 2: Sampling Fungi from the Environment (August 3)
ESA ORGANIZED ORAL SESSION: Frontiers In The Ecology Of Plant-Fungal Interactions (August 5 - NOTE DATE CHANGE)
For registration purposes, ESA workshops 1 and 2 will be listed as regular workshops on the registration page for the ESA meeting. People can sign up as they register for the meeting.
Also of interest to FESIN participants
MSA SYMPOSIUM: Fungal Biodiversity Informatics
ESA WORKSHOP 1 ( SATURDAY, AUGUST 2, 2008)
MOLECULAR TOOLS FOR ASSESSING FUNGAL BIODIVERSITY
Organizers:
Dr. Jeri Parrent,
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph,
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
Tel:
519-824-4120 x56009 e-mail:jparrent@uoguelph.ca
Dr. Catherine Gehring, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011-5640, (928)523-9158, e-mail: Catherine.Gehring@nau.edu, .
Dr. Thomas Bruns, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology,
University of California, Berkeley California 94720-3102, (510) 642-7987, email: pogon@berkeley.edu
One of the barriers to inclusion of fungi in ecological research is the difficulty of identifying fungi from environmental samples. FESIN proposes a full day workshop on the use of molecular tools to assess fungal biodiversity. This workshop will target ecologists interested in working with fungi who have limited familiarity with molecular approaches. It will include presentations by leaders in the field and opportunities for discussion and informal interaction to promote collaboration.
MORNING SESSION INTRODUCTION TO METHODS
1. Introduction to major fungal lineages and symbionts
2. Overview of sampling strategies
3. Overview of molecular methods including nucleic acid extraction, amplification, tRFLP, and cloning
Question/answer and discussion session followed by coffee break
4. TRFLP acquisition, analysis and interpretation
5. Special problems associated with sampling VA mycorrhizal fungi
Lunch with workshop participants
AFTERNOON SESSION CHALLENGES AND NEW TECHNOLOGIES
5. Sampling from the environment issues regarding spatial scale
6. Sampling from different sources (plant material, soils, hyphae, spores, etc, culture dependent and independent)
7. Sampling from the environment - the problem of hyperdiversity
Question/answer and discussion session followed by coffee break
8. Emerging Technologies and their uses
a.. Massive Parallel sequencing
b. Computer tools for complex data queries of sequences databases
ESA WORKSHOP 2 (SUNDAY, AUGUST 3, 2008)
SAMPLING FUNGI FROM THE ENVIRONMENT CHALLENGES AND SOLUTIONS
Dr. Thomas Bruns, Department of Plant and Microbial Biology, University of California, Berkeley California 94720-3102, (510) 642-7987, email: pogon@berkeley.edu;
Dr. Karen Hughes, Department of Botany, The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996-1100. (865) 974-2256, e-mail: khughes@utk.edu;
Dr. Betsy Arnold,
Department of Plant Sciences, The
University of Arizona
Tucson, AZ 85721,
arnold@ag.arizona.edu;
Dr. Jeri Parrent,
Postdoctoral Fellow, Department of Integrative Biology, University of Guelph,
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
Tel:
519-824-4120 x56009 e-mail:jparrent@uoguelph.ca
Dr. Catherine Gehring, Department of Biological Sciences, Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona 86011-5640, (928)523-9158, e-mail: Catherine.Gehring@nau.edu
This is a full day workshop
for ecologists with some experience using molecular approaches for
identification of microbes. The goals of the workshop are to highlight the key
challenges of identifying fungi collected in field studies and to work towards
the development of strategies to overcome those challenges. The workshop will
include introductions to the challenges from both ecological and molecular
genetic perspectives and guided discussion among workshop participants to
address the following questions: 1. What are the limitations of rRNA genes and
spacers for identification and what other loci might be used to supplement
them?, 2. How can we precisely, accurately, and efficiently identify and name
environmental sequences of unknown fungi?, 3. What are the gaps in current
sequence databases, and how can we generate data to fill those gaps?, and 4. How
should we curate and organize environmental samples and the data derived from
them? The workshop will include short presentations, guided discussion and the
creation of a draft synthesis of suggested methods.
MORNING SESSION Questions 1 and 2
1. Limitations of current sequence data in fungal taxa and guilds
2. Classifying Environmental Sequences Why its necessary and what needs to be done
3. Environmental data associated with sequences what we need
4. Ideas for automated identification of fungal OTUs
Proposals and open discussion
LUNCH
AFTERNOON SESSION Questions 3 and 4
5. Analyzing disconnected data using massively parallel sequencing
6. Metagenomics for fungi
ESA ORGANIZED ORAL SESSION: FRONTIERS IN THE ECOLOGY OF PLANT-FUNGAL INTERACTIONS
This session represents a synthetic approach to understanding the state of the field, and future directions, in fungal ecology. The diversity of speakers will address complementary but distinct areas of research, and will help to bridge the gap between ecologists and fungal biologists. As an oral session at the 'frontiers' of fungal ecology, we hope to showcase innovative and original work, and at least one presentation will specifically refer to work conducted in collaboration with a Native American Tribal College.
ORGANIZER
Elizabeth Arnold
Department of Plant Sciences
University of Arizona
Department of Plant Sciences
Tucson, AZ 85721
Phone Number: 520-621-7212
Email: arnold@ag.arizona.edu
Moderator
Jeri L. Parrent
Department of Integrative Biology
University of Guelph
Guelph, Ontario, N1G 2W1, Canada
Phone: 519-824-4120 x56009
Email: jparrent@uoguelph.ca
Ecology of Plant-Pathogen Interactions in the Context of Global Change Bitty A. Roy, University of Oregon
The Influence of Nitrogen Deposition on Fungal Decomposition in Forest Communities
Ecological Consequences of Three-way Symbioses: Plants, Fungal Endophytes, and Viruses Regina S. Redman, Montana State University
Bacterial Endosymbionts Within Fungal Endosymbionts: Consequences for the Ecology of Plant-Fungal Interactions Elizabeth Arnold, University of Arizona
Mutualists As Invaders: The Good, The Bad, and the Ugly Anne Pringle, Harvard University
The Role of Plant Root Architecture and Functional Diversity among Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi in Plant-pathogen-mycorrhizal Interactions Ben Sikes, University of Guelph
Biogeography, Temporal Variation, and the Ecology of Ectomycorrhizal Fungal Communities Ian Alexander, University of Aberdeen
What does rRNA Teach Us About Fungal Ecology? Ari Jumpponen, Kansas State University
Two additional slots to be filled by Program Chair