Rapid biodiversity assessment using DNA Barcodes: A case study on Diptera
scientific investigators:
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang J. Waegele
Jan Struwe
(Zool. Museum Alexander König)
Prof. Dr. Wolfgang W. Weisser
(TU Munich)
Hypotheses
H1: it is possible to assess changes in species diversity in a precise way using DNA barcodes
H2: Sequence data will help to identify cryptic species, to unveil errors in traditional species determination, to characterize populations
H3: The number of feeding guilds and redundancy in guilds as well as species diversity are higher in unmanaged than in managed forests.
H4: There is a latitudinal gradient of diversity
Methods
Sequencing of Diptera specimens identified by taxonomists, comparison of the taxonomic resolution obtained with genetic markers with traditional taxonomy, development of a DNA-barcode database for Diptera species, mainly based on the COI gene, application of the molecular methods with automated methods