Volume 14, Part 2, May 2000 Personalized species names? A News Focus item in the 21 January 2000 issue of Science (p. 421), entitled 'Researchers cash in on personalized species names', asks 'Looking for that extra-special gift for a loved one who seems to have everything?' and answers: 'In return for a donation to biodiversity research, you can have a previously unknown species of orchid, or mosquito, or sea slug named after them and recorded in the scientific literature for perpetuity.' Further on it explains that 'German taxonomists, led by the Federal Agency for Technical Co- operation, decided it was time to cash in on the endless name giving. Interested amateur naturalists, or even multi-national corporations, can browse a photo gallery of unnamed species on the BIOPAT [a registered nonprofit German organization] Web site (www.biopat.de).. The naming fee for individuals is DM5000 and more for corporations. Maybe our Society could initiate a similar plan for naming (bona fide) new species of undescribed fungi - BMSp, (be my species), perhaps. RTM Myconews Professor Paul Bridge - Chair in Mycology A Chair in Mycologyhas been established as a new initiative between Birkbeck, University of London and the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Paul Bridge, formerly of CAB International, was recently appointed to this position and shares his time between the two institutions. Paul gained his PhD in biochemical and numerical taxonomy, and has worked for many years- on the biochemical and molecular systematics of microfungi. This research concentrated on the delineation of functional groups in both plant and insect pathogenic fungi. It is expected that this new initiative will allow the expansion of research links between Kew and Birkbeck, particularly through the respective mycology and biointeractions groups. External funding has already been obtained for a number of research projects. The appointment is part of a major initiative for the Birkbeck Science Faculty, with the merging of the Biology and Chemistry Departments to form a single School. This will provide a significant resource for chemical analyses in a biological context, and funding has now been secured to establish and equip a new Centre for Molecular Systematics and Function within the School during 2000. Professor David Wood We are sorry to have to record the death of Professor David A. Wood at the end of February, 2000, following a short but very severe depressive illness. David gave the Society great service in recent years, serving as Vice President in 1997, and mycology has suffered an enormous loss with his death. We offer our sincere condolences to his family. An appreciation and obituary will appear in a later issue of this journal. Cumulative Index for the Mycologist The editors of the Mycologist after some consideration agreed that an appropriate contribution to the year 2000 would be to produce an index spanning the lifetime of the journal since its launch in 1987. David Pegler, who shaped the format in the early years and has been responsible for a substantial share of the editing, has kindly given his time to this project and it is near completion. The Cumulative Index to Volumes 1 - 13 will, subject to BMS Council approval, be issued as a supplement to all current recipients of the journal and will be available to others at a small charge. G Hadley

Personalized species names?

Download PDF Report

Upload
rtm
View
213
Download
0

Embed Size (px)

Citation preview

Volume 14, Part 2, May 2000

Personalized species names?

A News Focus item in the 21 January 2000 issueof Science (p. 421), entitled 'Researchers cash inon personalized species names', asks 'Looking forthat extra-special gift for a loved one who seemsto have everything?' and answers: 'In return for adonation to biodiversity research, you can have apreviously unknown species of orchid, ormosquito, or sea slug named after them andrecorded in the scientific literature for perpetuity.'Further on it explains that 'German taxonomists,led by the Federal Agency for Technical Co-operation, decided it was time to cash in on the

endless name giving. Interested amateurnaturalists, or even multi-national corporations,can browse a photo gallery of unnamed species onthe BIOPAT [a registered nonprofit Germanorganization] Web site (www.biopat.de).. Thenaming fee for individuals is DM5000 and morefor corporations.

Maybe our Society could initiate a similar planfor naming (bona fide) new species of undescribedfungi - BMSp, (be my species), perhaps.

RTM

Myconews

Professor Paul Bridge - Chair in Mycology

A Chair in Mycologyhas been established as a newinitiative between Birkbeck, University of Londonand the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew. Paul Bridge,formerly of CAB International, was recentlyappointed to this position and shares his timebetween the two institutions. Paul gained his PhDin biochemical and numerical taxonomy, and hasworked for many years- on the biochemical andmolecular systematics of microfungi. This researchconcentrated on the delineation of functionalgroups in both plant and insect pathogenic fungi.

It is expected that this new initiative will allowthe expansion of research links between Kew and

Birkbeck, particularly through the respectivemycology and biointeractions groups. Externalfunding has already been obtained for a number ofresearch projects.

The appointment is part of a major initiative forthe Birkbeck Science Faculty, with the merging ofthe Biology and Chemistry Departments to form asingle School. This will provide a significantresource for chemical analyses in a biologicalcontext, and funding has now been secured toestablish and equip a new Centre for MolecularSystematics and Function within the Schoolduring 2000.

Professor David Wood

We are sorry to have to record the death ofProfessor David A. Wood at the end of February,2000, following a short but very severedepressive illness. David gave the Society greatservice in recent years, serving as Vice President

in 1997, and mycology has suffered an enormousloss with his death. We offer our sincerecondolences to his family. An appreciation andobituary will appear in a later issue of thisjournal.

Cumulative Index for the Mycologist

The editors of the Mycologist after someconsideration agreed that an appropriatecontribution to the year 2000 would be toproduce an index spanning the lifetime of thejournal since its launch in 1987. David Pegler,who shaped the format in the early years andhas been responsible for a substantial share ofthe editing, has kindly given his time to this

project and it is near completion. TheCumulative Index to Volumes 1 - 13 will, subjectto BMS Council approval, be issued as asupplement to all current recipients of thejournal and will be available to others at a smallcharge.

G Hadley