Genomic science to conserve biodiversity

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The danger of extinction of one in four species on the planet puts livelihoods or food supplies at risk. Moreover, we are still a long way from understanding how life on Earth works to reverse this loss of species. Faced with this situation, the pan-European consortium Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) is launching an unprecedented effort to understand biodiversity, monitor its changes, and determine how to slow its decline through the use of genomic science.

This new project involves 30 partners from 20 European countries by connecting two continental research networks: Bioscan Europe, focused on the analysis of DNA barcodes; and the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA), focused on genome sequencing. Also funded to the tune of 21 million euros by the Horizon Europe programme, the Higher Council for Scientific Research (CSIC) will receive 1.4 million euros to identify the reference genomes of 50 species in Spain. At the European level, researchers hope to determine more than 500 reference genomes.

“This is a much-needed initiative that has the potential to accelerate biodiversity genomics research across Europe. The genome sequencing of several hundred species can be used to understand their evolution and collaborate in their conservation”explains Rosa Fernández, researcher at the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-UPF) and Spanish representative on the ERGA board.

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How to save biodiversity from the current crisis

The consortium’s goal is to apply genomic science to understand how life works on Earth and how to save biodiversity from the current crisis. In the first case, “We currently estimate that 80% of the planet’s species remain to be formally discovered and described, making it difficult to estimate Earth’s biodiversity. Moreover, the interactions within each species, between species or between species and their environment, create a complex map that we are far from fully understanding. In this context, genomic science is the best hope for mapping the planet’s biodiversity and understanding the relationships of species with their environment, in order to predict how they are responding to global change.says Ana Risk, researcher at the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC).

In the second case, biodiversity is faced with the possible extinction of a quarter of the planet’s species. To respond to this unprecedented loss, genomics has tools to understand how species respond to environmental pressures and to reverse species extinction and ecosystem degradation.

The tools available to BGE to achieve its objectives are two technologies: DNA barcodes and genome sequencing. The first technology uses short DNA sequences to distinguish between different species with the potential aim of creating an inventory of life on Earth for global conservation monitoring.

worldwide decline

“To understand the extent of biodiversity decline, we need to overcome the logistical constraints of the high diversity of insects. Generating insect species reference libraries with barcode sequences opens the door to overcoming limitations and launching European monitoring programs”details Brent Emerson, researcher at the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology (IPNA-CSIC) and representative of Spain on the board of directors of Bioscan Europe.

Genome sequencing determines the order of DNA nucleotides (basic components of the genetic code) in the genome of any species, which also helps to create a map of the code corresponding to each organism. This gives a complete picture of how biological systems work and, importantly, how species respond and adapt to environmental changes.

A pan-European genomics effort

Until 2026, BGE will conduct genome science research to collaborate towards the achievement of the European Union’s 2030 targets regarding the decline of pollinators, the deterioration of terrestrial habitats and the impact of non-native species on the biodiversity. For this, it will also rely on the work of more than 200 European organizations through two continental networks: ERGA and Bioscan Europe.

ERGA aims to promote and facilitate the sequencing of all European eukaryotic biodiversity. For this, the consortium will create a collaborative and interdisciplinary network of scientists from all over Europe to identify the reference genomes of the different species, through training and knowledge transfer. Bioscan also seeks to determine the DNA barcode sequences of global biodiversity. This would therefore make it possible to set up a new tool to understand the diversity of species, their interactions and their dynamics.

The CSIC participates in this major project through centers and institutes such as the Institute of Evolutionary Biology (IBE, CSIC-UPF), the National Museum of Natural Sciences (MNCN-CSIC), the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology (IPNA-CSIC), the Biological Station of Doñana (EBD-CSIC) and the Mediterranean Institute for Advanced Studies (IMEDEA, CSIC-UIB), among others.

“We will align the resources of European communities in DNA barcoding and genome sequencing to expand biodiversity genomics research across the continent, opening the door to breakthroughs that will place Europe at the forefront of biodiversity genomics research”concludes Dimitris Koureas, director of the BGE.

Character font: MNCN SCCI

Reference article: https://www.mncn.csic.es/es/Comunicaci%C3%B3n/a-european-project-will-use-genomic-science-to-conserve-biodiversity

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