| The EOL Biodiversity Synthesis Group

Megatree Publication

27 Aug 12

George Weiblen and his colleagues recently published on methods for inferring community phylogeny from work that emerged from the April, 2008 Megatree: Mega-Phylogeny Assembly by Literature-Mining and Grafting synthesis meeting.

Beaulieu, J. M., R. H. Ree, J. Cavender-Bares, N. Deacon, G. D. Weiblen, and M. J. Donoghue. 2012. Synthesizing phylogenetic knowledge for ecological research. Ecology 93: S4-S13. PDF

Coral Meeting Publications

27 Aug 12

Several articles that resulted from collaborative research from the June 2009 Systematics and evolution of scleractinian corals synthesis meeting have been published!

Arrigoni R, Benzoni F, Stefani F, Pichon M. Galli P. 2012. Molecular phylogeny of the Robust Clade (Faviidae, Mussidae and Pectiniidae): An Indian Ocean perspective. Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution 65, 183-193. Abstract

Barbeitos MS, Romano SL, Lasker HR. 2010. Repeated loss of coloniality and symbiosis in scleractinian corals. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences 107: 11877-11882. Abstract

Benzoni F, Arrigoni R, Stefani F, Pichon M. 2011. Phylogeny of the coral genus Plesiastrea (Cnidaria, Scleractinia). Contributions to Zoology 80, 231-249. PDF

Parmeliaceae Life Desks

27 Aug 12

After his participation in the January, 2012 Parmeliaceae: Towards a worldwide checklist and a phylogenetic classification of the largest family of lichen-forming fungi synthesis meeting, Adriano Spielmann has created two LifeDesks.

parmotrema.lifedesks.org
liquensms.lifedesks.org

The goal of the first LifeDesk is to provide tools that can contribute to the identification and taxonomy of the genus Parmotrema A. Massal. (lichenized Ascomycota, Parmeliaceae), through short comparative diagnoses and colour images.

The second LifeDesk is in Portuguese and is addressed to the Brazilian public. They can find pictures and information about the lichenized fungi (lichens) found in Mato Grosso do Sul.

Parmeliaceae Publication

27 Aug 12

Matthew Nelsen, who participated in the May, 2010 Parmeliaceae: Improving our understanding of taxonomy, classification and biogeography of the largest family of lichen-forming fungi synthesis meeting recently published a paper, which was part of a special issue of the Lichenologist which Thorsten Lumbsch organized.

The cetrarioid core group revisited (Lecanorales: Parmeliaceae)

BHL Africa Meeting

27 Aug 12

From June 14-15, 2012, over 25 librarians, scientists and information technology managers came together at Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden in Cape Town, to discuss the possibilities for developing a Biodiversity Heritage Library node in Africa. This organization and planning meeting was funded by the JRS Biodiversity Foundation and was a direct follow up to the initial JRS funded BHL Africa meeting that was held in conjunction with the Life and Literature meeting in November 2011.

More news and updates from the BHL Africa meeting can be found in the BHL blog.