Commission for Karyosystematics
In 1991, under the auspices of this Commission, the publication of a standing column in
"Flora Mediterranea", with the title "Mediterranean chromosome number
reports", began. The first series (Fl. Medit. 1:223-245) comprised 45 numbered
reports. The editors are G. Kamari, F. Felber and F. Garbari.
The Commission, through its Secretary, also started a "Chromosome News"
column in the OPTIMA Newsletter, in which references to published papers were listed
together with research projects.
In 1993 the Commission also actively promoted the preparation of a Karyosystematic
database. A working group consisting of scientists from the Botanical Institutes of the
Universities of Neuchâtel (Ph. Küpfer, F. Felber), Patras (G. Kamari, A.
Anagnostopoulos), and Pisa (F. Garbari, C. del Prete, G. Bedini) held a preliminary
meeting in Neuchâtel (Switzerland) on 1-2 May 1993 and prepared a concise description of
the database design. Detailed information on the project and the planned data structure,
together with an invitation for cooperation, were presented by Felber & al. during the
Symposium on "Disploidy and evolution in the Mediterranean flora" on 21 July
1993 at the VII OPTIMA Meeting in Borovetz. Küpfer and Felber obtained a grant for
funding the database from the Swiss Federal Office for Education and Science, while del
Prete and Kamari submitted grant applications to the Italian Research Centre and the EU
respectively.
At the
Commission Meeting held on 4
September 2004 in Belgrade,
the Secretary of the Commission reported that the column "Mediterranean
Chromosome Number Reports" in Flora
Mediterranea has been published for fourteen years now. So far, 1,414
chromosomal records have been published, covering most of the Mediterranean
countries or territories included in the Med-Checklist and the Caucasus area. It was noted that compared to the number
of contributions in Flora Mediterranea
9-11, there has been a 60% decrease, which is indicative of the current trend
of researchers focusing on molecular studies. The Commission recognised the
importance of encouraging karyosystematic studies among young scientists.
With regard
to molecular systematics, the Commission decided to include this type of data
in the existing column in Flora
Mediterranea and invited S. Siljak-Yakovlev to be one of the editors of
this column.
The
karyological database "PhytoKaryon" remains operational thanks to a
small grant from Patras
University.
"PhytoKaryon" now contains over 45,000 records, corresponding to more
than 11,000 plant taxa and based on more than 1,200 bibliographical references.
Provisions have been made for the addition of biosystematic data and a sample
data set has been tested. Part of the data included in the database can be
accessed at: http://www.phytokaryon.biology.upatras.gr/.
The
Commission suggested that molecular systematic data should also be included in
"PhytoKaryon". Prof. Sonia Siljak-Yakovlev will be in charge of
adding this data.
The
Secretary of the Commission pointed out that "PhytoKaryon" also
provides links to four other notable karyological databases:
1)
BSBI Database – Cytology at http://rbg-wweb2.rbge.org.uk/BSBI/
from the Royal Botanical Garden Edinburgh, covering taxa of the British and
Irish flora.
2)
Chromosome numbers for the Italian
flora at http://www.dsb.unipi.it/chrobase
from the Department of Botanical Sciences of Pisa University (F. Garbari).
3)
Cromocat (part of the general
Catalan biodiversity database BIOCAT at http://biodiver.bio.ub.es/biocat/homepage.html
University of Barcelona (C. Blanché).
4)
Index to Plant Chromosome Numbers
(IPCN) (Missouri Botanical Garden - w3TROPICOS)
at http://mobot.mobot.org/W3T/Search/ipcn.html.
The
Commission suggested that it would be of interest to link a bibliographic
database to the Euro-Med and Med-Checklist databases.
In 2005, the Commission prepared its
“Mediterranean chromosome number reports” edited by G. Kamari, C. Blanché and
F. Garbari as a standing column in Flora
Mediterranea. This year the column contained contributions on 42 taxa.
In 2006, the Commission prepared its
“Mediterranean chromosome number reports” edited by G. Kamari, C. Blanché and
F. Garbari as a standing column in Flora
Mediterranea. This year the column contained contributions on 160 taxa.
For further information, please contact Commission's Secretary (2001-2007):
Commission for Karyosystematics
Secretary:
G. Kamari
Botanical Institute, Dep. Biology University of Patras, GR-26500 Patras, GREECE
Tel: +30 61 997641; Fax: +30 61 997275; E-mail: Georgia.Kamari@upatras.gr
Members:
M. Anchev, Sofia
C. Blanché i Vergès, Barcelona
M. Bedalov, Zagreb
L. Borgen, Oslo
M. Erben, München
F. Garbari, Pisa
M. Johnson, Kew
Ph. Küpfer, Neuchâtel
J. A. Mejías, Sevilla
E. Nazarova, Erevan
C. Oberprieler, Berlin
N. Özhatay, Istanbul
F. Sales, Coimbra
S. Siljak-Yakovlev, Orsay
S. Snogerup, Lund
R. Verlaque, Marseille
D. Zohary, Jerusalem
