DNA Barcoding Archives - Biodiversity Genomics Europe

BGE will host the Biodiversity Genomics Connects event in Brussels

Jose Alonso — Wed, 04 Jun 2025 15:19:04 +0000

As the BGE project approaches its last stretch, our community is organising an event that promises to shed substantial light on crucial aspects of the future of biodiversity genomics in Europe. Biodiversity Genomics Connects (Brussels, 30 Sept – 1 Oct, 2025) will be a two-day gathering to bring together researchers, innovators, policymakers, and stakeholders from across Europe to reflect on the state of the art and the path ahead for biodiversity genomics both in technical and policy-related terms.

SYMPOSIUM AND DISCUSSION SESSIONS

Unlocking the power of genomic science for nature and the bioeconomy in Europe

Royal Belgian institute of Natural Sciences (Brussels), 30 Sept. – 1 Oct

The event will open with a sessions programme under the rather suggestive title Unlocking the power of genomic science for nature and the bioeconomy in Europe. An introductory block focused on the current state of biodiversity genomics will lead the way for more specific themes. Among them, the practical needs of practitioners and decision-makers, the (necessary) support to mainstream deployment of biodiversity genomics innovations in Europe, and the vision for a future research infrastructure to crystalise that deployment and provide sustainability to our scientific impact. The sessions will lay out the critical importance of coordinated operationalisation, shared infrastructures, and the construction of robust reference libraries.

Preliminary Policy Roundtable programme

POLICY ROUNDTABLE

Biodiversity innovation: Enabling technology for nature and green growth

TBD (Brussels), 1 Oct

Right after the technical sessions, Biodiversity Genomics Connects will move to a dynamic roundtable with thought leaders in science, business, and policy. The roundtable will explore questions such as: What are the most promising biodiversity genomic innovations for enhancing ecosystem resilience and climate adaptation? What infrastructure is needed to avoid bottlenecks, ensure continuity, interoperability, application, and open access to biodiversity genomic data? How can biodiversity genomic technologies accelerate green growth? Can Europe become a driving force for international collaboration to tackle systemic biodiversity challenges? Adressing these topics across the policy and scientific community will enable us to explore how Europe can better capitalise on the potential of biodiversity genomic innovations for nature and green growth.

BGE wil organise the policy roundtable in collaboration with:

As environmental challenges escalate, the Connects event that BGE will host next autumn in Brussels will offer a timely opportunity to spotlight biodiversity genomics as a foundational, effective asset for biodiversity discovery and monitoring, able to guide conservation policies and contribute to the development of a European green future.

Preliminary Policy Roundtable programme

14:00 Welcome

14:05 Theme 1 – Addressing the biodiversity crisis: What is at stake?

14:45 Theme 2 – Biodiversity genomic innovations as a green growth enabler

— 15:30 Coffee break —

16:00 Theme 3 – Setting up a policy framework to capitalise on opportunities arising from innovations in genomic science for biodiversity conservation and sustainable use

16:55 Conclusions

17:00 Networking event

(All times are indicative)

PRACTICAL INFORMATION

DATES:

Symposium and Discussion Sessions:

September 30th (13.00-17.30h CET), and October 1 (8.30-12.30h CET)

Policy Roundtable:

October 1st 2025 (14.00-17.00h CET)

VENUES:

Genomics Application Sessions: Royal Belgian Institute of Natural Sciences (Brussels)

Policy roundtable: To be determined

ABOUT ATTENDANCE: The nature of Biodiversity Genomics Connects demands the presence of key collaborators and stakeholders who will receive a personal invitation. Nonetheless, the Symposium and Discussion sessions will be streamed live for the community, with possibilities for interaction.

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DNA Barcoding Decodes Unique Species of the Madeira Archipelago for the First Time!

Jose Alonso — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 13:50:12 +0000

A total of 25 species of aquatic mites have been identified, and of these 23 are endemic to Madeira. Aquatic mites are important regulators of invertebrate populations in freshwater systems, have enormous bioindication potential and are harmless to humans.

Please, click below for a full-length research paper on the subject

Read full article

The Madeira archipelago is a biodiversity hotspot (Photo: Torbjorn Ekrem, BGE)

The Madeira archipelago is a biodiversity hotspot, that is, it has a rich diversity of marine
and terrestrial species, including many endemic species. Among its most unique ecosystems
are the small, steep streams that create a great diversity of natural freshwater habitats.
These environments support rich communities of aquatic invertebrates, demonstrating the
high biodiversity and ecological value of the archipelago. Within this group, aquatic mites
stand out for their high degree of endemism — they are the group with the most species
exclusive to Madeira among freshwater macroinvertebrates. To date, 25 species of aquatic
mites have been identified, and of these 23 are endemic to Madeira. Aquatic mites are
important regulators of invertebrate populations in freshwater systems, have enormous
bioindication potential and are harmless to humans.

Image of the Faial Stream, in Madeira archipelago (Photo: Torbjorn Ekrem, BGE)

The dataset presented in the publication includes 584 DNA barcodes, which represent the
genetic barcodes of 23 species (more than 80% of the known fauna of aquatic mites in
Madeira). The work involved an international team that brought together researchers from
the BIOPOLIS Association, the Marine and Environmental Sciences Centre (MARE), the
Regional Agency for the Development of Research Technology and Innovation (ARDITI), the
Funchal Museum, the University of Montenegro, the University of Norway (NTNU), the University of Szczecin (Poland) and the University of Lodz (UniLodz).

“The field days were extraordinary! Not only did we get to know better the endemic species,
but we also learned and shared knowledge among participants from various institutions!”

Sónia Ferreira, researcher at BIOPOLIS Association

Torrenticola elliptiformis (Lundblad, 1941) Photo: Dinis Girão

Large-scale comparison of the new sequences with those available in public databases such
as BOLD confirmed the uniqueness of the genetic diversity of the aquatic mites inhabiting
Madeira. Furthermore, genetic data revealed that Sperchon brevirostris Koenike, 1895, a
species common in freshwaters of Europe and Macaronesia, consists of multiple genetic
lineages, one of which is restricted to Madeira Island. Finally, our research revealed three
species new to the aquatic mite fauna of Madeira, namely Arrenurus bicuspidator Berlese,
1885 from Porto Santo Island and, Hydrachna skorikowi Piersig, 1900 and Lebertia
algeriensis Lundblad, 1942 from Madeira Island. This last species, currently considered very
common in the island's running waters, may be the first aquatic mite species documented
as exotic in freshwater ecosystems of Madeira.

Sperchon brevirostris Koenike, 1895. Photo of Dinis Girão

“Our efforts have yielded new insights into the Madeira archipelago’s interesting natural history.”

Torbjorn Ekrem, Sampling Coordinator, BGE

The work is being carried out within the context of the Biodiversity Genomics Europe
project, the largest European genomics project to study biodiversity. The project brings
together scientists from 33 partner organisations across 20 European countries in an
unprecedented effort to apply genomics to biodiversity research that will change
conservation science and policy in Europe.

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From metabarcoding to omics: uncovering how soil organisms aid forest adaptation to environmental stress

Jose Alonso — Thu, 06 Feb 2025 09:43:19 +0000

By N. Tourvas, V. Kotina and FA (Phil) Aravanopoulos*
Forest Genetics Lab
Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Environment

Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh)

Thessaloniki, Greece

*email address: aravanop@for.auth.gr

Traditionally, scientists have thought of natural selection, the fundamental, according to Charles Darwin, mechanism of evolution, as a process that helps certain groups of organisms (individuals and populations within a species) succeed and reproduce because of their distinct traits which are better adapted to their environment. However, the story of evolution involves more than just distinct species; it includes how different species interact and evolve together. For example, plants and their insect pollinators have evolved in interconnected ways. This broader view of evolution, known as “community evolution,” suggests that natural selection works across various levels – from genes to ecosystems.

Photo: Example of sampled soil core (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)

In the case of soil environments, probably the most famous species interaction is mycorrhiza, a symbiotic relationship between fungi and the roots of plants. In this partnership, the fungus helps the plant absorb water and nutrients from the soil more efficiently, while the plant provides the fungus with sugars produced through photosynthesis. This relationship not only is beneficial for both parties, but also plays a crucial role in the health and growth of many plants, enhancing their resilience to environmental stresses and improving soil quality.

An example of this strong relationship is presented in a study by Bazzicalupo et al. (2020) and focuses on the genetic adaptations of Suillus luteus, a mycorrhizal fungus, to environments contaminated with heavy metals. This fungus forms a symbiotic relationship with Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) forest stands. The researchers compared the genomes of S. luteus populations inhabiting both polluted and proximal non-polluted sites. This comparison aimed to uncover the genetic mechanisms enabling the fungus to survive in heavy metal-contaminated soils.

Photo: Field work in the University forest of Taxiarchis, Greece (Aristotle University of Thessaloniki)

One of the key findings was the minimal genetic divergence between fungal populations from polluted and non-polluted sites. However, the study identified specific areas of the genome that were significantly differentiated between populations from the two environment types, indicating genes which conferred adaptation to heavy metal pollution. A recent preprint followed (Smith et al., 2023) in which the latter results were corroborated by applying another -omic tool, questing this time the gene expression levels (i.e. how active genes were) in S. luteus isolates from the original study. The authors exposed the isolates to varying levels of zinc, a heavy metal, in a controlled environment inside the laboratory. They found that S. luteus zinc tolerance was highly associated with soil contamination level, in particular isolates from polluted sites being more tolerant than isolates collected from non-polluted sites. Furthermore, genes with known function towards heavy metal stress were differentially expressed between tolerant and non-tolerant isolates.

Overall, the findings of both works underscore the importance of genetic adaptation in ecological resilience and survival that influence community evolution. Understanding the underlying mechanisms that shape genetic adaptation, could be crucial for mitigating the adverse effects of human activities (industrial pollution, climate change) on natural ecosystems.

The School of Forestry and Natural Environment of Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (AUTh) along with other departments of the AUTh, participates in the Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) project. Our team collected soil samples across ecological gradients of land abandonment and/or post-disturbance vegetation stages. The soil samples will be analysed with a genomic tool which allow us to concurrently detect the DNA of numerous organisms within a single sample (DNA meta-barcoding). The results of such experiments have the potential to guide research on the evolution (local adaptation) of forest ecosystems, by indicating communities and species associated with each environment. This in turn can lead to more exciting research shading light on the mechanisms that these communities/species employ to thrive in their environments.

Links to original research:

Bazzicalupo et al. 2020 https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/mec.15618
Smith et al. 2023 https://www.biorxiv.org/content/biorxiv/early/2023/12/10/2023.12.08.570832.full.pdf

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