Åge Hojem CC-BY-SA 4.0
(c) M. SonnleitnerThe 3rd ABOL BioBlitz we were able to perform during the Day of Biodiversity in the Biosphere reserve Wienerwald in Pressbaum.
On Friday all day and on Saturday morning, about 80 experts examined the area around the municipality Pressbaum. The rather large area has been divided into 33 locations, well marked on detailed maps. Insects were caught, fungi and plant species collected, and bats observed during a night excursion. In total, the experts registered a provisional number of 1151 species. Again this time, some of the collected species will be sampled for the creation of DNA barcodes.
The Saturday afternoon offered a comprehensive entertainment program, numerous information stands, children’s program, regional delicacies, a quiz and much more. Also ABOL was represented here with an information stand, at which interested DNA barcoding was brought closer. Selected species were used to show how they can be genetically determined using the BOLD database (Barcode of Life Database). Despite the heat, many adults and children took part in the program and gained insights into local biodiversity.
We would like to thank the organizers for the excellent organization, as well as the experts for the interest and participation in the ABOL BioBlitz campaign!
More information and more pictures (in German only) -> here!
(c) BP Wienerwald
(c) M. Sonnleitner
M. SonnleitnerLast weekend the second ABOL BioBlitz took place. This time we were guests at the Day of Biodiversity at the Mühlbergerhof in Grein, Upper Austria. Organized by the Naturschutzbund OÖ and the Biology Center Linz of the Upper Austrian Landesmuseum, about 25 experts examined the biodiversity in the vicinity of the organic farm. Birds were observed, funghi collected, plant species collected and insects caught. Part of the collected organisms will then be used for the creation of DNA barcodes. No less important was the cozy get-together and the professional networking with the best hospitality. We thank you for the successful event and the warm welcome to the organizers and the experts for the willingness to participate to the BioBlitz!
More information and photographs (in German only) -> here
Copyright Photographs: M. Sonnleitner
(c) C. KomposchThe first ABOL BioBlitz on May 17th & 18th took place at the GEO Day of Biodiversity on the eastern shore of Millstättersee in Carinthia. The approximately 45 participating experts reported more than 1000 species of plants, fungi and animals within 24 hours. We thank everyone for their active participation in the ABOL-BioBlitz campaign and are looking forward to the results.
One of the highlights was the presentation of the day catches from Millstättersee by professional fisherman Günter Palle, including perch, catfish, lake trout, brown trout etc.
Thanks also to the organizers for the warm welcome and the nice service!
We look forward to the next ABOL BioBlitz at the TdA in Grein, Upper Austria.
Your ABOL team
Click here for information on the ABOL BioBlitz (in German only).
(c) Entry picture: C. Komposch
Dear ABOL community and biodiversity enthusiasts,
as announced at the ABOL meeting in December, ABOL is participating in this year’s Biodiversity Days (Tage der Artenvielfalt, TdA). The aim of the ABOL BioBlitz Actions is the creation of DNA barcodes of as many species as possible collected at the TdAs and determined by the participating experts (our BioBlitz website, in German). ABOL would like to involve further experts in the initiative and at the same time we hope that through this joint action the attention of regional and national media will increasingly be drawn to us.
Therefore we ask for numerous participation in the TdAs and the associated barcoding actions.
We ask you to mark the dates and sign up early. We would like to thank all organizers for their interest in the cooperation.
17./18. May – TdA Biosphere Reserve Nockberge: East banks of Millstättersee and surrounding mountainsides (information from the organizer)
31. May/1. June – TdA Upper Austria: Grein (information from the organizer)
14./15. June – TdA Biosphere Reserve Wienerwald: Pressbaum (information from the organizer)
21./22. June – TdA Vienna: BOKU site Knödelhüttenstraße in the 14th district of Vienna
05./06. July – TdA Tyrol: Brandenbergtal, municipality Brandenberg
26. – 28. July – TdA Hohe Tauern National Park: Carinthia, Gössnitztal (information from the organizer)
Since DNA barcoding is a standardized method, the vouchers should, if possible, be deposited in public scientific collections (museums). The sending of the samples and the sequencing costs are handled by the ABOL initiative.
All those who want to join, please contact our ABOL BioBlitz coordinator Sabine Schoder or the ABOL coordination team, so that we can support the process as well as possible (collection, sampling etc.).
We look forward to the joint actions,
With kind regards,
Your ABOL coordination team
Dear ABOL community
One advantage of DNA barcoding is the strong international networking of the initiative.
As part of the HRSM project, the team of Irmgard Krisai-Greilhuber at the University of Vienna has created DNA barcodes of a fungus that was on the way of being described.
We are pleased to announce that under the lead of the University of Graz (Dr. Stephan Koblmüller) in cooperation with the Universalmuseum Joanneum (Mag. Wolfgang Paill) and the Ökoteam as economic partner (Dr. Werner Holzinger) another ABOL project has started. In the BRIDGE-1 project BIO-PLANBAR (FFG, BMVIT) the use of DNA barcoding for more efficient species identification in the context of conservation conformity of planning processes of major construction projects will be investigated.
In order to estimate the impact of construction projects on local fauna and flora, a very good knowledge of the organisms is required. As a rule, certain indicator groups are used for this purpose. DNA barcoding might simplify and accelerate the step of species identification and complement classical morphological methods, especially in juveniles, larval stages and eggs. However, the prerequisite for this is as comprehensive high quality reference database. This will be generated and/or completed within the project for relevant groups of animals (for example, bugs, cicadas, spiders, ground beetles).
More information can be found here.
Congratulations to the successful project applicants!
The ABOL coordination team
With March 1st the HRSM (Hochschulraumstrukturmittel) project has been launched. The project is funded with 1 Million Euro by the Ministry of Science, Research and Economy and aims at developing DNA barcoding pipelines for ABOL at universities. Commendably, the University of Graz has taken the leadership. Project partners are the University of Vienna, the University of Salzburg, the University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences Vienna, and the University of Veterinary Medicine of Vienna. Thus, we are able to announce that the overall ABOL project has successfully started before the end of the pilot phase. However, this does not mean we may rest on our laurels – many smaller and larger projects have to be initiated to reach our long-term target, the establishment of DNA barcodes for all animal, fungi as well as plant species of Austria that these eventually can be utilized for diverse applications. To reach this goal we need the cooperation of all experts and institutions who address biodiversity!
The 6th International Barcode of Life Conference takes place at the University of Guelph, Canada, from August 18-21, 2015. The theme of the 6th Conference, Barcodes to Biomes, addresses ecological applications of DNA barcoding. Other topics encompass bioinformatics, taxonomy, and conservation. Registration is open at http://dnabarcodes2015.org/registration/. The Deadline for contibutions is set to April 15, 2015.
Latest News
Åge Hojem CC-BY-SA 4.0iBOL-Congress 201924. June, 2019 - 15:20
(c) M. SonnleitnerABOL BioBlitz in the Biosphere reserve Wienerwald/Pressbaum19. June, 2019 - 15:19The 3rd ABOL BioBlitz we were able to perform during the Day of Biodiversity in the Biosphere reserve Wienerwald in Pressbaum. On Friday all day and on Saturday morning, about 80 experts examined the area around the municipality Pressbaum. The rather large area has been divided into 33 locations, well marked on detailed maps. Insects […]
M. SonnleitnerABOL BioBlitz at Mühlbergerhof in Grein4. June, 2019 - 11:40Last weekend the second ABOL BioBlitz took place. This time we were guests at the Day of Biodiversity at the Mühlbergerhof in Grein, Upper Austria. Organized by the Naturschutzbund OÖ and the Biology Center Linz of the Upper Austrian Landesmuseum, about 25 experts examined the biodiversity in the vicinity of the organic farm. Birds were […]