Biodiversity Genomics Europe

This project is carried out by a consortium of 33 scientific institutions from 21 countries (19 European, Canada and the USA). Poland is represented by a research team led by Professor Michał Grabowski and consisting of scientists from the Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology and the BioBank Laboratory from the Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection at the University of Lodz(UniLodz).

BGE's objectives include: 

1) Intensification and international coordination of genetic and genomic research directed at documenting biodiversity in Europe, 

2) understanding the evolutionary mechanisms that shaped it, 

3) monitoring changes in biodiversity (ecosystem biomonitoring) related to anthropopressure, e.g. global warming, as well as 

4) developing strategies to prevent its loss.

As part of the project, reference libraries of DNA barcodes will be created and the level of genetic diversity of key organisms for nature conservation will be recognised. The experts will focus on species that are poorly recognised, e.g. pollinators, invasive species, protected species, freshwater invertebrates and so-called dark taxa, i.e. small and difficult to distinguish arthropods that are usually overlooked in surveys. They will also look at species of particular biogeographical and naturalistic interest. Museum specimens will also be included in the barcode system, whether they are extinct species, endangered species or type specimens on the basis of which a species has been described.

Scientists will also create a reference library of whole genomes of model organisms, critically endangered or biologically unique species, and develop uniform standards for biodiversity research using DNA barcoding-based methods. Standards will be developed for all stages of the work, from methods for collecting and documenting research material in the field, to laboratory protocols, methods of collecting, verifying and sharing data. A model will also be developed for establishing national barcoding initiatives and coordinating data collection at national level.

The project is expected to result in the creation of a scientific network that will integrate barcoding institutions and coordinate the barcoding of Europe's biodiversity.

Poland, together with Greece, has been selected as a model country to develop a national barcoding node(Polish Barcode of Life, PolBOL). These activities will be based on the national contact point of the International Barcode of Life (iBOL) network, and will include the implementation of DNA-based biomonitoring in our country. The Polish team will also build a library of DNA barcodes of organisms living in Poland. The scientists will focus on aquatic fauna, dark taxa and valuable museum specimens, and in the longer term they will also barcode other groups of organisms, including fungi or plants.

The Polish node, in cooperation with other members of the scientific consortium will also designate species and areas of particular European value and take part in genetic diversity studies in these regions. As part of this task, they will continue their cooperation with Kharkiv's Vasyl Karazin National University, which has been ongoing for several years, by studying the aquatic ecosystems of the Black Sea steppe.

More about the project can be found on the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project website and on Twitter

The BIOSCAN Europe initiative brings together existing European national networks, scientists and projects that work on the monitoring of biodiversity using DNA to build an efficient European system of interconnected facilities for rapid identification and monitoring of species.

Action took to address the challenging targets for pan-European biodiversity monitoring set out in the Green Deal and the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030.

BIOSCAN Europe is part of the International Barcode of Life Consortium (iBOL) and its global BIOSCAN initiative which aims to transform understanding of species diversity, their interactions, and dynamics. Main aim of the project is to unite and connect the national nodes of iBOL as well as the wider community of biodiversity researchers present in Europe, and to establish a European hub for the International Barcode of Life consortium.

Więcej o projekcie można znaleźć na stronie projektu BIOSCAN Europe.

Carpathian streams are distinguished by their high species diversity of aquatic insects. The aim of the project is to identify species composition in these watercourses based on the morphological and molecular characters. The research is conducted in the field using classical methods of biological inventories in mountain streams and molecular methods such as DNA barcoding, which is based on differences in the DNA structure of organisms. Collected individuals will be identified based on morphological and molecular characters and will be used to build a DNA barcoding reference library for the Polish fauna. The present research will continue previous studies on aquatic insects but will improve it by using modern molecular techniques. 

The research includes the following projects:

• 2022 - 2023: SpringBio: Springs as potential Carpathian centres of biodiversity, project funded by the National Agency for Academic Exchange (Prof. Dr. Michał Grabowski - head).
• 2023 - 2024: Biodiversity of Springs from DNA Barcoding Perspective: Reference Library for Future Monitoring Schemes, Grant funded by the Initiative for Excellence - Research University (IDUB) (Dr Tomasz Mamos - Head).  
• 2022: Spatial and molecular patterns of crustacean variability in the Bieszczady biodiversity hotspot. University of Lodz SGB student grant implemented at the UŁ Biosciences (Julia Rosiak - supervisor; Dr T. Mamos - supervisor).
• 2022: Biodiversity in the streams of the Bieszczady Mountains. University of Lodz SGB student grant implemented at the UŁ Biosciences (Monika Łabudzka - supervisor; Dr M. Płócienik - supervisor).
• 2022: Benthos of streams at Pogórze Przemyskie - issues for planned Turnicki National Park. Grant funded by the German foundation FAN (B) - Förderkreis für allgemeine Naturkunde (Biologie). (Dr M. Plóciennik, Dr P. Gadawski - supervisors).
• 2017 - 2018: Comparative phylogeography of aquatic organisms with different dispersal potential in river systems of the Western Carpathians. Research task funded by the National Science Centre within the MINIATURE 1 competition.

The ECOPOND project aims to improve techniques for monitoring the biodiversity of small freshwater bodies - ponds. The international team is investigating, among others, how ponds in the city differ from those outside agglomerations, their conditions and possible negative impacts on water-dwelling species. The project funded by the Norwegian Funds under the 'Research' programme operated by the National Science Centre is carried out by five partner teams.. In Poland, the project leader is Dr Szymon Śniegula from the Institute of Nature Conservation of the Polish Academy of Sciences, and the team includes scientists from the University of Lodz, Jagiellonian University, Norwegian Institute for Nature Research, Trondheim and the Norwegian Veterinary Institute in Oslo.

In their research, biologists focus on the biodiversity of bacteria, fungi, invertebrate and vertebrate animals. They also monitor the chemical composition of water in the studied ponds.

The common task is to study the problems and mechanisms that occur in ponds in five geographical areas. The research is being carried out on freshwater ponds in Krakow, Lodz, Gdansk, Oslo and Trondheim, as well as in non-urbanised areas around these cities. Ponds seem to be extremely interesting objects, not only because of their great diversity, different sizes and locations, but also because they are very sensitive to all changes, not only in the reservoir itself, but also around it. They are subject to a very high level of anthropopression, i.e. human pressure. On the other hand, in those places where human impact is high, such as in cities, ponds provide a kind of refugia, i.e. places where biodiversity can thrive despite negative changes in the environment.

As it is inefficient and time-consuming to classify or label many species using traditional methods, scientists plan to study species diversity by using environmental DNA and RNA from water samples.

All organisms release their body cells into the water and with them, their genetic material: DNA and RNA molecules. We retain these molecules on filters when we filter the water from the study ponds and then analyze them in the laboratory to identify what lives in the pond.  Just as we use barcodes in a shop to read the price and product data, we can reconstruct a list of organisms living in the pond on the basis of short fragments of DNA - the so-called barcodes of life. On this basis, we will be able to determine the impact of pollution on the set of species. The research should clarify whether the process of urbanization is actually dangerous for aquatic organisms. Or perhaps increasing pond numbers in cities will allow for  the better protection of water-related organisms.

More information can be found on the ECOPOND project website and Facebook page.

PolBOL (Polish Barcode of Life), the national node of iBOL-BIOSCAN, began its activities by building a reference library of DNA barcodes of domestic fauna, for future environmental biomonitoring standards. At present, the barcode library for Poland includes ca.  7,500 sequences, representing more than 1,300 animal species. Going forward, this library will also be extended to other groups of organisms. In one of its first projects, PolBOL focused on developing such a library for the biodiversity of an example lowland river and its valley.

Such a river is Grabia, one of the most natural and cleanest rivers in our part of Poland. Its valley has been protected under the Natura 2000 network. Because of its natural values, the Grabia River has also been the subject of a Polish-Dutch study as a reference river for the renaturalisation of small lowland rivers in the Netherlands, as part of an EU "Euro-limpacs" grant. 

In conclusion, it is worth emphasising that the current Grabia River research project integrates both staff and students of the Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology at the University of Lodz, with the cooperation of the CBG. The preliminary research is funded by internal funds of the University of Lodz, but efforts are underway to obtain funding from EU grants.

We invite you to watch the film: "The bar code of life" - Łódź biologists lay the foundations for modern biomonitoring of waters in Poland

 

The aim of the project is to enable first- and second-level students to obtain funding to conduct or present their research.  

The Student Research Grants project is also an opportunity to learn about the specifics of submitting and clearing research funding applications. If you are planning a career at university, this will be one of your most important skills.

Under the Student Research Grant you can obtain funding for, among other things:  

• implementation of their research
• participation in scientific conferences
• publication of an article or a book
• writing a bachelor's or master's thesis

The requirements for receiving a Student Research Grant are:  

• completion of a training course on obtaining and accounting for research funding, organised at the University of Łódź
• obtaining a favourable opinion from the potential scientific supervisor of the project
• submission of an electronic funding application 

Student Research Grants under way:

• 2022. Spatial and molecular patterns of crustacean variation in the Bieszczady biodiversity hotspot. (Julia Rosiak - supervisor; Dr T. Mamos - scientific supervisor).
• 2022. Biodiversity in streams of the Bieszczady Mountains. University of Lodz student grant SGB 465 carried out at BiOŚ of the University of Lodz (Monika Łabudzka - manager; Dr. M. Płócienik - supervisor).

For more information, visit the UŁ Student Research Grants website.

STUDENTS' POWER - A COMPREHENSIVE UNIVERSITY DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMME

Project co-financed by the European Union within the framework of the European Social Fund. As part of the project, students complete paid internships at the Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology in a molecular and/or optical laboratory (electron and light microscopy), work in the field (participation in a research team focused on entomology, hydrobiology), and work with specialised computer software. During their internship, students learn laboratory techniques used in DNA barcoding and the data produced is part of the Polish Barcode of Life initiative.

As part of the Project, the Career Bureau of the University of Łódź is implementing:

Task 10 - Workshops improving competences of UŁ students - competence enhancement module. The objective of the task is to improve the key competencies of UŁ students, i.e. language, IT, communication, analytical and entrepreneurial competencies, through competence-enhancing workshops, additional practical tasks carried out as part of project teams and additional classes organised with employers to better prepare them for entering the labour market.

Task 11 - High-quality internships for students of the University of Łódź - internship programme module. The objective of the task is to facilitate students' entry into the labour market by gaining practical experience that complements the knowledge acquired during their studies.

Task 12 - Development of high quality services of the Careers Bureau of the University of Łódź - a module to support the provision of high quality services by institutions assisting students in entering the labour market. The aim of the task is to make it easier for students of the University of Łódź to enter the labour market through comprehensive support from career counsellors and expanding access to Career Bureau services, including those provided electronically.

You are invited to apply here: Students' POWER traineeships.

 

The initiative focuses on studying the species diversity of Poland's invertebrates based on molecular and taxonomic traits. We study in detail groups such as Amphipoda, Chironomidae, Syrphidae, Odonata, Hemiptera, Orthoptera, Araneae, Myriapoda, Hydrachnidia.

PolBOL database administrator, data integration with BOLD

Taxonomic consultant and advisor on aquatic environment sampling protocols, coordination of cooperation with non-governmental organizations and stakeholders, coordination of legal issues related to protected areas and species in Poland

Project Manager Biodiversity Genomics Europe.

Monitors and coordinates the implementation of tasks, maintains relationships and communicates with project stakeholders (PolBOL network), implements tools, standards and a communication plan in the team. Performs assigned technical and organizational tasks.

Coordination of collection digitization, data analysis, administrative and technical support for the PolBOL website, coordination of legal and ethical issues (including the Nagoya Protocol), conducting DNA barcoding workshops

DNA sequencing lab manager, data analysis expert, bioinformatics support and implementation of analytical tools, running DNA barcoding workshops, analytical server manager

Coordinator of eDNA methodology, organization of international meetings and workshops, coordination of graphic projects and production of PolBOL promotional materials

Collection curator, coordinating citizen science activities, organizing meetings and workshops

Molecular laboratory and data production coordinator, DNA barcoding, Oxford Nanopore sequencing, running DNA barcoding workshops

Molecular laboratory support, advisor for sampling protocols from the terrestrial environment

Tatra National Park

 

Orthoptera of Poland project, members:

Przemysław Żurawlew

Ryszard Orzechowski

Seweryn Grobelny

Michał Brodacki

Marcin Kutera

Paweł Radzikowski

Szymon Czyżewski

Syrphidae of Poland

 

From October 2022, Polish Barcode of Life (PolBOL) became an initiative within the National Biodiversity Information Network (KSIB), coordinated by the national iBOL node.

More about the National Biodiversity Information Network can be found on the KSIB website

 

Forest ecosystems are characterized by a high diversity of organisms, and many of them are associated with the main organic material found in forests, i.e. wood. Species living in wood are referred to as saproxylic, and this group includes taxa that feed on the wood of living or dead trees (xylophagous), those that use fungi (mycetophagous), dead matter (saprophagous) and predators. Many of the saproxylic species are rare due to the lack of the required microhabitat in commercial forests – wood of dead tree,. Among such species are many relics of primeval forests, highly endangered and protected. On the other hand, many of the species using wood benefit from commercial forest monocultures, which favors their mass appearances and has economic importance for wood production. Among the saproxylic species, a very diverse group is made up of beetles, which are also well-recognized scientifically in terms of their biology and ecology. However, knowledge about genetic diversity is very unequal and generally focused on exemplary species of "pests". This applies to both inter- and intra-species geentic diversity. As part of the National Science Centre project entitled "Population genetics of saproxylic beetle communities in protected and managed forests" carried out by the consortium of Institute of Systematics and Evolution of Animals PAS, Forest Research Institute, University of Wrocław and National Research Institute of Animal Production, work is being carried out to describe and explain the relationship between the state of the forest environment and the genetic diversity of selected species of saproxylic beetles. When acquiring material for the project, samples from about 270 species were collected, for which 700 specimens were selected from different populations in Poland. These materials will be used to build a reference library of DNA barcodes for Polish fauna thanks to cooperation with the Polish Barcode of Life (University of Lodz).