Heir to the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project, the new Biodiversity Genomics Europe Plus (BGE+) will harness the power of genomic science and DNA-based reference resources to transform how biodiversity is monitored, protected, and sustainably used across Europe. Building on advances in genomics and the success of previous European collaborations, BGE+ aims to strengthen taxonomic research, improve understanding of species and genetic diversity, and, more importantly, lay the foundations for a long-term European biodiversity genomics system.

DNA technologies and genomic science now offer a step-change in how nature can be managed, conserved and utilized. The ability to use DNA to measure and monitor diversity at the species and genetic levels opens up a multitude of applications for which reference libraries of DNA barcodes and genomes are crucial. BGE’s policy brief makes the case for sustained investment and support for building reference libraries of European biodiversity, and offers a long term vision for the future.

DNA sequencing covers a range of methods shaped by data needs, sample numbers, and sources. Within the BGE sequencing pillar, tens of thousands of DNA barcodes were generated from fresh and museum specimens, in addition to bulk collections and environmental samples of soil and seawater. Hundreds of whole-genome datasets were also produced, for which consistently higher-quality samples were required that posed fewer initial challenges, though the sequencing process itself was far more demanding. Key synergies were identified between DNA barcoding and genome sequencing on sharing expertise for challenging samples, negotiating cost-effective consumables and services, and aligning sequence data and metadata practices. These efforts improved progress tracking, and the integration and accessibility of BGE’s sequence data.

Want to know more about why fresh samples are so difficult to sequence successfully?
Read the interview with Olga below! ↓

From samples to reference genomes and building a reference barcode library: an interview with Olga Vinnere Pettersson

To generate reference genomes and build a reference barcode library for European species, over 150,000 samples were collected from freshly caught specimens and museum specimens. These samples have all been processed in BGE’s consortium labs, but unfortunately not all 150,000 samples could be successfully sequenced. Although the library building of museum samples resulted in 90.6% success, the fresh samples proved challenging. Olga Vinnere Pettersson is one of the scientists dealing with sequencing the collected samples. She can tell us more about why fresh samples are so difficult to sequence successfully.

“The biggest lesson from BGE’s sequencing work is deceptively simple,” Olga tells us. “Biodiversity is not just a scientific concept – it is a laboratory reality.” Standard genomics protocols are built around model organisms. They work beautifully for many species, but when you scale up to the full range of European biodiversity the exceptions multiply fast. “We encountered insects where standard extraction yielded too little or too fragmented DNA, plants whose massive repetitive genomes resisted routine library preparation, and marine invertebrates where tissue preservation and DNA quality did not go hand in hand,” she explains. “Across a relatively small species subsample sequenced within BGE, we flagged over 30 species that required significant protocol adaptation.”

According to Olga this is not a problem to solve and forget. It is an ongoing infrastructure challenge. So how do you solve it? “What BGE has taught us is that future large-scale biodiversity genomics efforts – including the European Reference Genome Atlas – will need a living, shared, openly accessible collection of taxon-specific protocols that grows with every new species we tackle.” BGE has laid the groundwork for these issues, but the real work of maintaining and expanding it lies ahead. “The difficult species are not the edge cases. They are the centre of what biodiversity genomics is about.”

More than 20,000 samples have eventually been successfully sequenced, all due to the hard work of Olga and her colleagues. The next step is to make all this hard won data ‘FAIR’: Findable, Accessible, Interoperable and Reusable. Curious? We will share more about this in our next article!

Photo credit: Raffaele de Pascalis / Naturalis Biodiversity Center

By Maria Magalhaes, Joana Verissimo, Catia Chaves, Filipa M.S. Martins, and Laura A. Najera-Cortazar

Europe is home to an extraordinary diversity of life, much of which remains unknown. The Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) project is a groundbreaking effort to change that. By uniting scientists, technologies, and resources across the continent, BGE has as its main objective the use of genomics to understand, monitor, and protect biodiversity through coordinated networks, data generation, and practical genomic applications. This purposeful initiative not only deepens our scientific knowledge of Europe’s ecosystems but also provides essential tools to guide conservation, restoration and sustainable management. 

BGE brings together two major European networks: iBOL Europe, which connects scientists and projects working on DNA barcoding and metabarcoding; and ERGA (European Reference Genome Atlas), a community dedicated to sequencing high-quality reference genomes for all European eukaryotic species (organisms with a membrane-bound nucleus). Through BGE, these two networks become the European anchors of two global initiatives — the International Barcode of Life (iBOL) and the Earth BioGenome Project (EBP) — linking European researchers with the international scientific community.

From Genomic Frameworks to Soil Biodiversity Research

Together with the wIldE – climate-smart rewilding project (another Europe Horizon project), our Ecological Restoration – Soil case study explores soil biodiversity across Europe using genomic tools. It looks at how soil life changes with land abandonment or after disturbances, and whether these patterns are similar across regions or unique to each site.

But why study soils, you ask? Soils are one of the richest and most important ecosystems on Earth, full of hidden life like microbes, fungi, and tiny animals. They keep ecosystems healthy by recycling nutrients, storing carbon, and supporting plant growth. By studying soils, we can understand how human activities and land changes affect biodiversity and learn how to restore and protect these vital ecosystems.

And so, in late Spring 2023, our adventure began. Soil sampling might initially seem straightforward, fieldwork for doing science – just insert a tube into the ground and voilà! A sample has been collected. Easy, right? However, the process reveals unexpected complexity: soil exhibits variability, and rocks present diverse characteristics that influence sampling outcomes (Fig. 1). In other words, soil has opinions and rocks have personalities.

Figure 1. Soil sampling probe inserted in the ground in Central Catalonia, Spain (left), and soil sample taken in the Baixo Sabor territory, Portugal (right).

Soil sampling was carried out in different stages of land abandonment, from recently abandoned fields to old forests. It required both physical sampling effort to insert the soil probe in the ground either for reaching each sampling site -particularly stages of old forest; and for taking the five replicates of soil sample per site, using the soil probe to dig in the ground down to 30cm (Fig. 2). All this includes managing muddy conditions, or vegetation spines, and dealing with environmental factors like rain, wind disrupting field notes, and occasionally explaining the presence of soil-filled bags to curious bystanders! On top of that, sampling for metabarcoding requires sterile sampling conditions to avoid cross-contamination, therefore, coordination and precision were needed for one team member to be digging, and the other to be rapidly changing gloves and cleaning material before each sample! No gym work out needed after this, for sure…

Figure 2. Soil sampling was carried out in different stages of land abandonment. It required both physical sampling effort to insert the soil probe in the ground (left, Baixo Sabor territory, Portugal), but also reaching isolated sampling sites like those of old forest, characterised by full vegetation cover (right, High Tatras Mountains National Park territory, Slovakia).

The study was designed to evaluate changes in soil biodiversity during the process of ecological succession following land abandonment (or a major disturbance) by studying the diversity of bacteria, fungi and arthropods, as well as to identify the dynamics of ecological intensification and restoration under climate change. Sampling was conducted by comparing soils of different stages of land abandonment within the same region, to understand how soil biodiversity changes along this time gradient.Coordinating this across replicated plots was a logistical puzzle, requiring meticulous planning to ensure the full trajectory of ecosystem recovery was represented. In the end, we will have four stages from early successional stages to late successional old-growth or mature forests, including also the intermediate recovery stages. Each stage is composed of six replicates per successional stage and from every replicate, five individual soil cores were extracted – like collecting Pokémon, but dirtier (see Fig. 3). These cores, later on, were pooled together in the lab to form one pooled sample. One core equals one entry, and five cores represent one sample.

Figure 3. Example of the Ecological Restoration Soil sampling design, showing a chronosequence representing the stages of vegetation recovery after land abandonment (modified from Nájera-Cortazar et al., 2024a).

Every collaborator had to find the right site that fit all the characteristics, which was not an easy task, but successfully accomplished by all of them. Fieldwork was intense and exhaustive, but highly productive! After finishing, seven teams from seven countries had a nice sense of fulfilment, looking forward to what will be found in their samples later on. Now, it is time to stop collecting, retire the field boots, and organise data and ship all the samples for the genomics part of the project (Fig. 4).

Figure 4. Transition from fieldwork to the laboratory at the end of a sampling journey. On the left, team members are seen preparing samples for secure transfer to the laboratory. The images on the right display the organized storage of collected samples upon arrival at the laboratory. Each tube is labeled and preserved at low temperatures to maintain quality and prevent degradation prior to analysis. This marks the conclusion of field activities and the beginning of the laboratory phase of the project.

Wait, organize data? Yes, that is a must. The lab work depends on having clean, high-quality sample data. Time to grab a (some) coffee(s), find a comfy seat, and focus—no slip-ups, no spills, no excuses! Once sample data is ready, it is finally time to start with lab work. The first days in the lab have been a whirlwind of excitement — endless sheets of paper filled with codes and rows of Falcon tubes everywhere. The tasks: identifying tubes, labeling bags, and preparing the pooling process. Busy work, but honestly, it’s when the real fun begins! Pool, mix, weigh, record, seal the bag, close the tube, freeze… and then do it all again. And again. And again. It’s like being trapped in a scientific Groundhog Day. Lab life: a little dust, a little mud, cold, and strangely satisfying. And we can not forget: when weighing the sample, we need to be careful—no roots, stems, leaves, stones, or rogue pebbles sneaking in! Prep nice and neat for extraction (Fig. 5).

Figure 5. Preparation of pooled soil sample. Individual soil samples were pooled by depth and core and homogenized to create a representative pooled sample, which was subsequently weighed prior for further processing.

The following steps, describe the results of the hard work carried out in the field. It’s exciting to think that beneath our feet lies an entire hidden world of biodiversity, isn’t it? To uncover these secrets, we used DNA barcoding and metabarcoding, focusing on key species and selected taxonomic groups through gap analysis (Table 1).

Table 1: DNA Barcodes: Who Uses What?

We start by extracting total DNA from each soil sample, breaking open cells and purifying their genetic material. First, cell membranes are broken open, much like cracking an egg. Unwanted substances, such as proteins and humic acids, are removed (Fig. 6) and finally, DNA is washed with cold alcohol. Being poorly soluble in alcohol, the long strands of DNA aggregate and become visible as white, stringy threads. DNA is now clean, pure, and ready for use.

Figure 6. High-salt protein precipitation and phase separation for nucleic acid purification. A high-salt solution is added to the lysed, causing proteins and other inhibitors to precipitate. After mixing, the solution separates into an upper aqueous phase and a lower organic phase (phenol). Nucleic acids (DNA) remain in the aqueous phase, while proteins and lipids stay trapped in the organic phase. The aqueous phase is then transferred to a new tube for downstream processing, leaving behind inhibiting compounds.

Figure 7. Description of an automated process of DNA purification using a Thermo Scientific KingFisher system. The general steps involve using magnetic beads to which the target molecule binds, followed by the instrument moving the beads through a series of wash and elution solutions to separate them from contaminants. This process automates the “bind, wash, elute” workflow, resulting in higher purity and yield by reducing manual errors and sample loss.

Next, we amplify regions of interest using PCR, a laboratory technique that allows us to make millions of copies of a specific piece of DNA. Imagine you have just one page of a book, but you need thousands of copies to study it properly — PCR works like a photocopier for DNA. Starting from a small amount of genetic material, it amplifies (copies) a selected region so it can be analyzed in detail. Before running PCR, it is needed to decide which gene region to look at. Once this region is chosen, it is time to design primers, short pieces of DNA that match the beginning and the end of our target region. You can think of primers as “bookmarks” that tell PCR exactly which page of the genetic book to copy.

To perform PCR, the extracted DNA is mixed with primers and a heat-resistant enzyme. This mixture is placed into a PCR machine that repeatedly heats and cools the sample in cycles (Fig. 8).  Each cycle involves three steps:

1. Heating to separate the DNA strands,
2. Cooling so the primers can attach, and
3. Extension, where the enzyme copies the DNA.
   

With every cycle, the amount of DNA doubles — like feeding a sourdough starter, it grows exponentially. After many cycles, we end up with millions of identical copies of the chosen DNA region, ready for visualization, sequencing, and further study.

Figure 8. The PCR reaction mixture was placed in a thermocycler and subjected to amplification according to the target DNA sequence. The three main steps of a PCR thermocycler cycle are denaturation (heating to separate DNA strands), annealing (cooling to allow primers to bind), and extension (raising the temperature for DNA polymerase to copy the strands). This cycle is repeated 35-40 times, preceded by an initial denaturation and followed by a final extension and a 10°C hold for storage.

Once a PCR reaction has been completed, we run an electrophoresis gel to confirm the success of the reaction (Fig. 9). Understanding and interpreting the results of PCR experiments using gel electrophoresis is an essential skill for anyone involved in PCR work (Fig 10). Easy and faster than a minnow can swim a dipper.

Figure 9: Sample preparation and loading. Each sample was mixed with a blue loading dye to track its migration and help it settle into the wells. The first well contains a DNA ladder, used as a reference to estimate fragment sizes. As the electric current runs through the gel, DNA fragments move through the agarose matrix, where smaller fragments travel farther than larger ones, allowing their separation and comparison.

Figure 10. Agarose gel electrophoresis and DNA visualization. Agarose gel, running buffer, and a Bio-Rad power supply. The electrical current causes the negatively charged DNA to migrate toward the positive electrode, with smaller fragments moving faster than larger ones. The captured image on a GelDoc Go imaging system displays distinct bands corresponding to the amplified samples.

After the first PCR, the next step is a second round known as indexing PCR. In this process, unique combinations of short DNA sequences — called indexes or barcodes — are added to each sample. These indexes act as molecular tags that allow us to identify which sequences belong to which individual or sample after sequencing. In other words, each sample receives a unique index combination, enabling all samples to be pooled and sequenced together. Later, these tags make it possible to separate the data and trace each sequence back to its original sample (Fig. 11, 12).

Figure 11: Indexing PCR and Index PCR Cleaning. In indexing PCR, each sample gets unique barcodes, allowing its sequences to be identified after pooling and sequencing. Contaminants are undesirable as they can interfere with sequencing.  A “Index PCR cleanup” is a crucial process that uses magnetic beads to separate DNA library from unwanted components and fragments. This is typically a “left-side” cleanup that removes small fragments like adapter dimers. The goal is to create a pure library of the desired fragment size for better sequencing results.

Figure 12. Quantification of indexed PCR products using the Epoch microplate spectrophotometer. DNA concentration from each sample is measured and the results are used to normalize all samples to equal concentrations before pooling, ensuring balanced sequencing coverage.

After days and days of work — endless pipetting, countless tips, and more coffee than we’d like to admit — our DNA is finally ready for the magic of DNA sequencing.

From a single environmental sample, we can reconstruct a list of who’s there, from the visible to the invisible. This is the power of metabarcoding: be it from the soil, water or even a trace of air, it is possible to know which fish live in a river without ever casting a net, track pollinator communities without catching insects, or monitor soil health by mapping its microbial residents. It’s fast, non-invasive, and incredibly detailed.

Figure 13. Bioinformatic processing of DNA sequencing data from environmental samples to identify taxa present through metabarcoding analysis.

And this is our story. Behind every dataset lies the reality of the lab: field work, rows of PCR plates, endless pipetting, spilled ethanol, and late nights spent troubleshooting. The glamour of discovery only comes after this endless rush. In the end, those invisible fragments of DNA will be transformed into long strings of letters and a mysterious soup of DNA turns into a vibrant list of life forms, it feels like opening a letter from nature herself.

Last sample collection after heavy rain in the High Tatras Mountains National Park, Slovakia, showing the last sample taken (left); and Dr. Nájera-Cortazar and the Slovak crew (right).

By Luisa Marins and Kasia Fantoni

What is biodiversity? And genomics? How are they related to each other in ways that help species monitoring and conservation?

Throughout 2025, the “ERGA – iBOL Europe Connections” blog post series addressed these and many other questions about biodiversity genomics, such as the role that citizens play in biodiversity conservation, the difference between DNA barcodes and reference genomes, and all the related disciplines. 

This series of blog posts was produced by us, the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project’s Capacity Pillar team, composed of representatives from both the iBOL Europe and ERGA Secretariats. 

EasyConnections Booklet

Each Connection covers an aspect of biodiversity genomics and comes with a simplified-language version, the EasyConnection. The EasyConnections are intended for a lay audience and school pupils, and can be used by teachers at different levels of instruction.

Since the end of BGE is fast approaching, we decided to collect all of the EasyConnections in a single booklet, named “Connections – Discovering Biodiversity Genomics.”

It features eight chapters, links to extra material and media, and a “Games” section at the end to test your knowledge once you’ve read the leaflet. To make it accessible to as wide an audience as possible, we have been translating it into different European languages, and for now, it is accessible in Italian and Portuguese.

We hope that “Connections” will help you get a better understanding of the fascinating world of biodiversity genomics, and that you will enjoy playing with it!

By Luisa Schlude Marins

🇧🇬 Bulgarian version below

About the hotspot
Slavyanka Mountain and the Ali Botush UNESCO Biosphere Reserve form one of Bulgaria’s richest plant biodiversity hotspots, sheltering many endemic and protected species. The area’s unique flora makes it an ideal location for collecting specimens for reference genome sequencing, supporting conservation efforts and the preservation of unique genetic resources.

Some of the species spotted during the bioblitz.

→ Did you know? Slavyanka Mountain is home to more than 1,500 plant species, and many of them are found nowhere else in the world.

About the Activity

From 27–30 June 2024, the GENBUL project teamed up with the NGO Center for Forest Sciences, citizen scientists, and Bulgarian botanical experts for field sampling in the Ali Botush Reserve. Citizen scientists, many of them amateur naturalists and regular hikers, learned how to find, identify, and assess the conservation status of different plant species. They also joined evening sessions to help with specimen herbarization and dry ice preservation, an experience that inspired some participants to later volunteer at the Natural History Museum in Sofia.

Additional sampling took place in the Strandzha Mountain, where the team of nine scientists was joined by a smaller group of five volunteers to collect and process insect specimens with the support of Strandzha Nature Park rangers. Despite challenges in mobilising a larger team due to last-minute access issues at the original site, the activity fostered valuable exchanges between scientists, rangers, and citizen scientists, helping to raise awareness of biodiversity genomics and its applications in conservation.

Snapshots of the citizen science activities organized in Bulgaria.

Relevant links:

• Publication “Building a genome reference database for Bulgarian biodiversity – highlights from the GenBul project”: https://aca.pensoft.net/article/151368/
• The GENBUL team also organized a temporary exhibit at the Museum in Sofia on biodiversity genomics. The exhibit opening coincided with the European Researchers Night 2025, where they hosted a discussion with the public on genomics and recorded a podcast discussion on the same topic a few days later. 
  • Read more about their participation in the European Researchers Night 2025: https://www.nmnhs.com/25092901-news_en.html
  • Listen to the poscast: https://www.facebook.com/nmnhs/posts/повече-за-новата-временна-изложба-разкодирана-природа-геномната-революция-в-изсл/1298876578917686/

България

От върхове до природните резервати: граждани-изследователи участват в секвенирането на геномното биоразнообразие в България

Ръководител на проекта

Стефания Каменова


Гореща точка на биоразнообразието

Планината Славянка и резерватът „Али Ботуш“, част от програмата на ЮНЕСКО за биосферни резервати, са сред най-богатите на растително биоразнообразие места в България и убежище за множество ендемични и защитени видове. Уникалната флора на района го превръща в отлична територия за събиране на образци за геномно секвениране, което ще подпомогне опазването и устойчивото управление на тези ценни генетични ресурси.

Знаехте ли че?

В планината Славянка се срещат над 1500 вида растения, като значителна част от тях са уникални и не се срещат никъде другаде по света.

В периода 27–30 юни 2024 г. проектът GENBUL си партнира с неправителствената организация „Център за горски науки“, като обедини граждани-изследователи и експерти ботаници от Националния природонаучен музей за събиране на теренни проби в резерват „Али Ботуш“. Много природолюбители и любители алпинисти научиха къде да търсят и как да разпознават различните растителни видове. Те се включиха и във вечерните сесии по хербаризация на образците, както и в обработката на пробите със сух лед, за да се гарантира съхраняването на растителната ДНК — преживяване, което по-късно мотивира част от участниците да станат доброволци в дигитализацията на хербарийните колекции на Националния природонаучен музей в София.

Освен това екипът събра проби и от природен парк „Странджа“. С подкрепата на дирекцията на парка деветима изследователи от Националния природонаучен музей и Биологическия факултет на Софийския университет, заедно с петима доброволци, успешно уловиха множество видове редки насекоми. Въпреки затрудненията заради ремонтите по пътя и високите температури, инициативата създаде възможност за ценен обмен на знания и опит между учени, граждани-изследователи и служителите на парка, и допринесе за повишаване на осведомеността за геномните методи и тяхната роля в изучаването и опазването на биоразнообразието в България.

This initiative was funded through Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE), a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Framework Programme:

BGE+, heir to BGE, has been selected for funding. This amazing news means that our consortium will have support for its long-term objective of a European research infrastructure for biodiversity genomics.  

BGE: proof of concept

If there is one thing BGE has demonstrated, it is that coordinated, transnational efforts can overcome logistical, technical, and policy challenges and create operational pipelines for sampling, sequencing, data management, and application across Europe. In fact, by piloting joint initiatives and sharing expertise and investments, BGE has indeed built a model for scaling genomic knowledge production. Now, the question remains: scale up how? Where should we go from here?

Well, the answer to those questions has been kind of in the air in recent times, mostly expressed like this: “we need to create an integrated and sustainable European biodiversity genomics ecosystem to allow the research community to deliver scientific, policy, and potentially political impact.”

But it was during our recent policy roundtable Biodiversity Innovation: Enabling technology for Nature and Green Growth (Brussels Oct. 25) that Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans, uttered the words we all in BGE were waiting for: there is a need for a biodiversity genomics infrastructure in Europe.

BGE’s Biodiversity Innovation: Enabling technology for Nature and Green Growth roundtable (October 2025)

 

BGE+: focus on infrastructure

Biodiversity Genomics Europe plus (BGE+) aims to take us there. The new project will muster pan-European collaboration to scale up the production and uptake of genomic evidence for taxonomy, monitoring and policy. It will widen participation, standardise methods, and prepare a distributed European system for biodiversity genomics.

BGE+ has four objectives:

(1) broaden participation and capacity across Europe;

(2) make distributed genomic data production interoperable and FAIR by design;

(3) translate evidence into practice through co-designed use-case roadmaps; and

(4) define the service portfolio and assess financial and technical feasibility for a future European research infrastructure in biodiversity genomics.

The consortium unites iBOL Europe (DNA barcoding), ERGA (reference genomes) and CETAF (taxonomic research and natural history collections) to align end-to-end workflows from field sampling to application.

 

Laboratory work at Naturalis Biodiversity Center (The Netherlands)

A project with opportunities or all

Through targeted cascade grants (Financial Support to Third Parties) and hands-on training, BGE+ will enlarge community capacity while converging on shared protocols and standard practices, improving data interoperability and consolidating community efforts. Building on previous work, BGE+ will carry forward the communities’ long-term vision: turning fragmented efforts into a coherent, scalable system that delivers reliable genomic evidence for taxonomy and policy.

By Luisa Schlude Marins

About the hotspot
Cyprus is a Mediterranean biodiversity hotspot with a rich and distinctive invertebrate fauna, including butterflies, moths, and wild bees. Many pollinator species on the island are endemic, making them particularly important for ecosystem functioning and conservation. Pollinators are essential for maintaining natural habitats and supporting agriculture, yet their populations are increasingly threatened by habitat loss, pesticide use, and climate change. Limited taxonomic expertise among the general public has constrained large-scale monitoring efforts.

Some of the species spotted during the bioblitz.

About the Activity

In April 2024, the Cyprus University of Technology hosted two complementary citizen science events as part of the CYBIOGEN project: a Pollinator Identification Workshop and a field-based Pollinator Monitoring Activity.

The events brought together 18 participants, including representatives from the Department of Agriculture, the Ministry of Education, Sport and Youth, the Cyprus Beekeeping Association, and environmental NGOs such as BirdLife Cyprus and the Laona Foundation, alongside amateur naturalists and university students and researchers.

The day began with an introduction to the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project and the goals of the BGE Bioblitz in Cyprus. During the identification workshop, participants learned to recognize local pollinators using specimens, microscopes, taxonomic keys, and illustrated guides, while also exploring how genomics can support faster and more accurate species identification.

The monitoring activity focused on field observation and sampling. Participants practiced standard survey methods using hand nets and uploaded their records to a dedicated iNaturalist project. Despite cloudy conditions limiting insect activity, attendees gained valuable hands-on experience. All sampled insects were identified and released.

Together, the events fostered collaboration among researchers, stakeholders, and citizen scientists, with participants expressing strong interest in continued involvement.

Snapshots of the citizen science activities organized in Cyprus.

Looking ahead
These activities mark an important first step toward building citizen science–based pollinator monitoring in Cyprus, where very few people currently have pollinator identification expertise. By combining traditional approaches with biodiversity genomics, CYBIOGEN is helping strengthen local capacity and support long-term conservation of pollinators and their ecosystems.

Photo credits: Michael Papacharalamboui

This initiative was funded through Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE), a project funded by the European Union’s Horizon Food, Bioeconomy, Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Framework Programme: