Barcoding NL 2.0 – engaging with amateur expert collectors

Naturalis Biodiversity Center

ARISE, BGE

Leiden, 30 September 2024

With ARISE, BGE organised the ‘Barcoding NL 2.0’ event to gather Dutch amateur expert collectors on 30 September 2024. Hosted by Naturalis Biodiversity Center (Leiden, the Netherlands), this event was the natural sequel of the “Barcoding NL” event that took place in 2023 and allowed participants to dive deeper into barcoding and building the national DNA-barcoding reference library.

Participants visit and engage at the BGE stand. Photo by: Kasia Fantoni


Goals

  1. Engaging the Dutch expert community in building the (national) DNA_barcode reference library; 
  2. Raising awareness about DNA-based methods used in biodiversity research and their implications for monitoring and conservation; 
  3. Collecting samples relevant to BGE’s target list.

Content

10.00 Walk-in and visit to Naturalis Museum
12.30 Plenary session, with an introduction by Elaine van Ommen Kloeke (Naturalis ARISE and BGE Project Coordinator) setting the scene; a video message by documentarist Rik van der Linden; a presentation by Naturalis researchers Annabelle de Vries and Jorinde Nuytinck.
14.00 Information Market with stands of BGE and ARISE, among others, informing participants on activities and initiatives.
15.30 Workshop on eDNA
17:00 Closing Drinks and Networking

Topics

What are the goals of BGE and ARISE? What is DNA and DNA barcoding? Which species are needed? How to submit the samples? What is eDNA?

Feedback summary
Participants provided feedback on the workshop on-site during the event. Here’s an overview of their responses:

  • Some participants would have appreciated more information on the content of the workshop and a more continuous flow of information throughout the year (e.g., via newsletters, presentations and other events).
  • Some participants would like more direct info on the species in the ARISE Gap List.
  • Some participants suggested planning similar initiatives out of the sampling season.
  • Some participants found the content too technical.
  • Most participants appreciated the content of the session and the networking opportunity provided.

Header: Elaine van Ommen Kloeke, Naturalis ARISE and BGE Project Coordinator, introduces BGE to participants. Images by: Kasia Fantoni