A Swedish Earth Biogenome Project platform: building a pipeline and proof of principle studies

A grand challenge for humanity is to maintain biodiversity and ensure food safety for the growing population.

There is currently an alarming loss of biodiversity due to loss of natural habitats and human activities, referred to as the sixth mass extinction of species. To meet these challenges, society urgently needs improved monitoring of species and populations.

The Earth Biogenome Project (EBP) is an international initiative aiming to sequence all eukaryotic species in the next ten years, and SciLifeLab is already part of this coalition.

Together with a broad consortium of public and private non-academic partners, we here propose to build on this initiative to establish genome sequencing and quantitative population genomics as powerful tools for ecological conservation and monitoring.

In four highly relevant pilot projects based on recent technology breakthroughs, we will address  a set of diverse areas of societal importance: i) preservation of fish stock (European cisco), ii) preservation of pollinating insects (bees), iii) habitat conservation programs (fungal indicator species), and iv) mammalian conservation efforts in the mountain tundra ecosystems (Norwegian lemming).

By further strengthening the sequencing and bioinformatics services in genome assembly, genome annotation and population genomics over the next four years, we are convinced that SciLifeLab will become a key partner for innovation and decision-making in ecology and conservation of biodiversity.