Plant Science and Biodiversity Centre SAS
Topic
Hidden diversity, ecology and phylogeny of lesser-known Helotiales (Ascomycota) in Central Europe
PhD. program
Botany
Year of admission
2025
Name of the supervisor
Mgr. Viktor Kučera, PhD.
Contact:
Receiving school
Prírodovedecká fakulta UK
Annotation
Helotiales is by far the most diverse and species-rich order of class Leotiomycetes. It comprises ca. 4000 species. These fungi have world-wide distribution, occurring through tropical to arctic-alpine regions with humid to arid climate. Lifestyle is mainly saprotrophic, but endophytic, parasitic, or mycorrhizal species occur frequently as well. Ascomata are mostly apothecial (inoperculate discomycetes). Formation of minute fruitbodies, or growth in habitats often overlooked by mycologists likely contributes to their underrepresentation in official repositories. The lack of genetic data in many taxa, the long list of genera of uncertain systematic placement, and presence of unnamed, well-supported phylogenetic lineages indicate, that the order is expected to undergo changes and additions based on phylogenetic data in the near future. From this assumption arise key questions to be addressed in the thesis: a) are there unknown, undescribed taxa within the selected group? b) can cultivation methods and "vital taxonomy" reveal cryptic species? c) is it possible to define new evolutionary lineages? d) is there a correlation between morphological traits and phylogenetic relationships? e) can we determine the relationship between vegetation zones and the life strategies of selected species?