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In this project, researchers from the University of Bologna, in Italy (Federica Costantini, Barbara Mikac, and Eugenio Fossi) and the University of Dubrovnik in Croatia (Marijana Pećarević and Kruno Bonačić) join their forces to study alien species of the polychaete genus Polydora, invading farmed oysters in the Adriatic Sea, with the support of BGE funding. Aquaculture is one of the main vectors for the introduction and transport of alien species in the Mediterranean Sea. Recently, researchers from the University of Bologna discovered for the first time in the Mediterranean new alien shell-boring poychaete oyster pests, from the genus Polydora , in oyster farms in the northern Adriatic   Sea. Their introduction may have severe ecological and economic impacts. Movements of young and adult oysters among farms, performed regularly as a farming practice, might contribute to further translocation of these hitchhikers, which could also infest wild mollusks. Joint action of the neighboring Adriatic countries is needed to address the problem. The objectives of this project are to confirm the identity and define the distribution of shell-boring Polydora  species in oyster farms along the Adriatic coasts, clarify the provenance and way of their introduction in the Adriatic, and strengthen connections between scientists, aquaculture companies, monitoring, and legislation institutions as a base for the implementation of management measures for these   pests. Images of an Oyster farm in the Sacca di Goro lagoon, Italy, Northern Adriatic Sea and oysters being sampled from the farm. Italian and Croatian scientists sampled Polydora  from several oyster farms along the Adriatic coasts and analyzed them morphologically and genetically. Population genomics based on a genome sequencing approach (RAD-seq) is going to be used on the sampled populations. The sequencing of the reference genome for Polydora  is fundamental to map the sequenced reads for each sample and to SNP discovery to estimate diversity measures in pest species and to identify loci and alleles important for local adaptation . Analyzed data will indicate information on the routes of introduction of the species in the Adriatic Sea, on the connectivity patterns among populations, and the phylogenomic relationships between species within the genus. Oyster infested by molluscs and Polydora worms. A close-up look at the Polydora worm parasite from an oyster sampled in the Adriatic Sea. Through a series of actions (presentations at national and international conferences, meetings and round tables, and sending of reports) the scientific results obtained from this research will be communicated to aquaculture companies, governing and legislative institutions, public bodies working in environmental monitoring, and other public and private research institutions.

At this month's ERGA Plenary meeting (Monday, December 16 at 15:00 CET) we will hear from Amber Hartman Scholz about the outcomes of the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) that took place last October in Cali, Colombia and the consequences of the latest DSI decision for “real-world” scientists, database managers, and users of sequence data. The session will be moderated by Camila Mazzoni. Watch the talk: Abstract What happened at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 16) on Digital Sequence Information? Can I still use open public genetic sequence data? The Leibniz Institute DSMZ Science Policy and Internalization Department is actively engaged in the UN Convention on Biological Diversity as an academic stakeholder. At the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP16) in Cali, Colombia in October 2024 and, indeed, for the past several years, we have closely followed negotiations on digital sequence information (DSI) and access and benefit-sharing. While the COP15 decision on DSI in 2022 was encouraging because it moved towards a multilateral benefit-sharing (unlike the Nagoya Protocol), no details on how the mechanism would work were decided. The recent COP16 DSI decision operationalizes this new benefit-sharing mechanism and creates new financial obligations and requirements for databases. The talk will explain what the DSI decision means for “real-world” scientists, database managers, and users of sequence data. And, in parallel, show what science policy work entails and what is happening on the ground during UN negotiations. Speaker's Bio - Amber Hartman Scholz Dr. Amber Hartman Scholz is a microbiologist and Head of the Science Policy & Internationalization Department at the Leibniz Institute DSMZ in Braunschweig, Germany. She leads projects on international science policy especially on access and benefit sharing and digital sequence information. She led the DSMZ’s implementation to become a Registered Collection under the EU’s Nagoya Protocol regulation (511/2014) and co-founded both the DSI Scientific Network  and German Nagoya Protocol Hub . She held previous science policy posts in the US Federal and California state governments including at the White House Office of Science & Technology Policy. 🔔 To receive the Zoom link and join this and our upcoming plenary meetings, register as an ERGA member .

Executive Board Council of Countries Committees Our Partners Pilot Project Former Contributors top OUR COMMUNITY ERGA is an bottom-up initiative based on people, consisting of hundreds of scientists across the entire European continent and beyond. Research institutions, infrastructure facilities as well as partner genome projects will play an important role within ERGA. Finally, ERGA will have a focus on societal needs particularly related to Biodiversity conservation. For that purpose, ERGA will work engaging governmental and non-governmental entities and will closely involve citizens in different actions. Executive Board Executive Board executive-board@erga-biodiversity.eu Robert Waterhouse Chair Ann Mc Cartney Vice Chair Olga Vinnere Pettersson Vice Chair Rosa Fernández Scientific Officer Elena Bužan Partnership Officer Chiara Bortoluzzi Dissemination Officer Lada Lukić Bilela Social Integration Officer Camila Mazzoni Funding Opportunities Officer Jaakko Pohjoismäki Genomic Outreach Officer List of Former Executive Board Members > Council of Country Representatives Contact the national representatives for more information on the ERGA community in your country! Andorra Andorra@erga-biodiversity.eu Manel Niell Vanesa Arroyo List of Former Council Members > Council of Countries Committees SSP - Sampling & Sample Processing samples@erga-biodiversity.eu More > DAC - Data Analysis Committee analysis@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Media & Communications media@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Social Justice Committee More > SAC - Sequencing and Assembly Committee assembly@erga-biodiversity.eu More > ITIC - IT & Infrastructure Committee itinfra@erga-biodiversity.eu More > CS - Citizen Science citizenscience@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Annotation Committee annotation@erga-biodiversity.eu More > ELSI - Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues elsi@erga-biodiversity.eu More > TKT - Training and Knowledge Transfer training@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Committees Our Partners Our Partners ERGA is the pan-European partner of the Earth Biogenome Project (EBP) Affiliated Initiatives Associated Partners Pilot Project Pilot Project Committee Coordinators pilot@erga-biodiversity.eu Giulio Formenti Alice Mouton Ann Mc Cartney Learn more about the Pilot Project Former Contributors ERGA Council Filter by Type Ann-Marie Waldvogel (Germany) Josefin Stiller (Denmark) Marc Pons (Andorra) Philine Feulner (Switzerland) Rebekah Oomen (Norway) Ann Mccartney (Ireland) Rosa Fernández (Spain) Craig Primmer (Finland) Nadir Alvarez (Switzerland) Shyam Gopalakrishnan (Denmark) Elena Bužan (Slovenia) Robert Waterhouse (Switzerland) Jaakko Pohjoismäki (Finland) Lada Lukić Bilela (Bosnia and Herzegovina) Former Contributors

OUR PARTNER PROJECTS ERGA is the pan-European partner of the Earth Biogenome Project (EBP) Regional Partners: French Atlas of Marine Genomes (ATLASea) Earth Biogenome Project Norge (EBP-Nor) Swedish Earth BioGenome Project Worldwide Partners:

HOME A GENOME ATLAS OF EUROPEAN BIODIVERSITY The European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) initiative is a pan-European scientific response to current threats to biodiversity. Reference genomes provide the most complete insight into the genetic basis that forms each species and represent a powerful resource in understanding how biodiversity functions. With approximately one fifth of the ~200,000 European species at risk of extinction, we need to act fast and together to generate high-quality complete genome resources in large scale. Science needs genomes to understand biodiversity, biodiversity needs to be understood to be protected. HIGHLIGHTS ERGA News #25 - December 2024 New members of the ERGA Executive Board! Genetic adaptation of Northern chamois ecotypes to climate change and habitat loss EVENTS What happened at the UN Biodiversity Conference (COP 16) on Digital Sequence Information? Can I still use open public genetic sequence data? Evolutionary transcriptomics in brown algae Plenary Talk - Captive Conservation Genomics - is that a thing? Open to Collaborate ERGA is committed to the development of new modes of collaboration, engagement, and partnership with Indigenous peoples for the care and stewardship of past and future heritage collections. Calls OUR MISSION 1/3 1/3 1/3 1/3 WHAT WE DO Establishing high-quality reference genomes requires an interdisciplinary workflow From species to genomes … and beyond. From species selection to data analysis, the process of creating reference genomes for the entire biodiversity will involve a deep synergy among museums, research institutes, universities, sequencing centres, bioinformatics and computational groups. Citizens will also play an important role supporting the inclusion of all types of species. WHAT WE AIM FOR Creating and consolidating a collaborative and interdisciplinary network of scientists across Europe and associated countries Connecting relevant infrastructure across Europe following a distributed model that can dynamically increase Propagating guidelines for state-of-the-art genome establishment through training and knowledge transfer Next La comunidad ERGA tiene como objetivo optimizar la producción de genomas de referencia mediante el desarrollo y el intercambio de protocolos y flujos de trabajo, brindando acceso a recursos y apoyando el desarrollo de capacidades a través de la transferencia de conocimientos - para mejorar y ampliar el uso de datos genómicos para la protección y restauración de la biodiversidad Next OUR PROJECTS ERGA Pilot The Pilot Project was launched to demonstrate the feasibility of continent-wide collaboration. It was established, funded, and driven entirely by its members. Read more >> Biodiversity Genomics Europe ERGA has recently been funded as part of the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project through the European Union's Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action. Read more ERGA Community Genomes Are you planning or developing a reference genome project of a European species? Join the growing family of ERGA Community G enomes! Read mo re “Species conservation is urgent and demands deep knowledge of the genetic features of their populations. A coordinated effort to generate complete reference genomes for all European biodiversity, such as what we are proposing with ERGA, can give us the whole picture about the adaptive differences and extent of a need for genetic rescue among populations and species.” Dr. Camila Mazzoni, Founding Chair, ERGA. Research Group Leader Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin, Germany