ABOL – ABOL – The Austrian Barcode of Life

ABOL BioBlitz in the National park Hohe Tauern

ABOL BioBlitz, Highlights, Meetings, Veranstaltungen

This year’s ABOL BioBlitz series was completed with the Day of Biodiversity in the Hohe Tauern National Park on the Deferegger sunny side in East Tyrol. As in previous years, the weather this weekend was rather bad. At least this year we had some sunny windows in which flying insects, especially bumblebees, hoverflies and butterflies could be observed. The first evening was already dedicated to the light traps – nocturnal insects were attracted and mapped with light traps on the banks of the Schwarzach river and in the alpine area at Speikboden. Saturday was devoted entirely to searching for species in the study areas above St. Veit and St. Jakob, up to high alpine locations. In the evening, nets for catching bats were set up around the House of Water of the National Park, which served as a base, with which, together with echolocation, 5 species of bats could be detected. At the final event on Sunday, the first results and provisional species numbers were presented. Thanks to the voluntary and unpaid work of around 70 experts, the data situation in this area, which had been rather sparse until then, was significantly improved. We hope to get some more samples for the creation of DNA barcodes and to successfully complete the ABOL-BioBlitz collecting season.
We would like to thank the national park team for the perfect organization of accommodation, food and transport!

Impressions from the study area:

TdA NP Hohe Tauern, Defereggen valley. Photo: M. Sonnleitner

TdA NP Hohe Tauern, Defereggental. Photo: M. Sonnleitner

TdA NP Hohe Tauern, Defereggen valley. Light trap. Photo: M. Sonnleitner

TdA NP Hohe Tauern, Defereggen valley. Myricaria germanica on the Schwarzach river. Photo: M. Sonnleitner

TdA NP Hohe Tauern, Defereggen valley. N. Szucsich at the closing event. Photo: M. Sonnleitner

TdA NP Hohe Tauern, Defereggen valley. Welcome. Photo: M. Sonnleitner

TdA NP Hohe Tauern, Defereggen valley. Insects on Apiaceae inflorescence. Photo: M. Sonnleitner

TdA NP Hohe Tauern, Defereggen valley. Species rich meadow. Photo: M. Sonnleitner

2. August, 2023/by Michaela Sonnleitner

TdA Nockberge - Bärengrube. Photo: O. Macek

ABOL-BioBlitzes in Tyrol and the Carinthian Nockberge Mountains

ABOL BioBlitz, Highlights, Meetings

On July 7 and 8, the ABOL team was present at two simultaneous events: the Day of Biodiversity in Tyrol and the GEO-Day of Nature in Carinthia.

At the Day of Biodiversity in Tyrol, in Leutasch, four very different and exciting study areas were examined for their biodiversity. In a moor area with orchid-rich fens and an intact mountain pine high moor, night was turned into day with numerous light traps – at least for the nocturnal insects and their researchers. In addition, many fireflies, which are rarely observed in such high numbers today, lit our way. The numerous butterfly experts were also present high on the mountain in the direction of Arnkopf, at a species-rich meadow and an interesting gravel area. The beautiful weather on Saturday contributed to rich observations of various animal groups. The final event on Saturday afternoon was well attended and very informative and interesting with a very well-prepared photo presentation which was put together in a very short time. Experts from various fields contributed briefly, from the geology of the study area, a short introduction to iNaturalist to a poem about a moth (Baptria tibiale).

First results were presented, there was a lot to find on the four survey plots: 11 orchid species, about 200 different butterflies, including the rare dusky large blue (Phengaris nausithous), more than 50 bird species, including black grouse, golden eagle and tawny owl, some recordings on the bat-detector and sundew and moorland hawker in the moorland. As part of the post-processing, some more exciting species will surely be added to the species list. Also, the culinary art and the interaction among the experts wasn’t missed out, before we started the long journey home, which was definitively worth it! Many thanks to the organizing team!

The other part of the ABOL team took part in the GEO Day of Nature in the Nockberge. With the ‘Bärengrube’ (translated ‘bear-cave’) near Innerkrems we went this year to north-exposed sites of the biosphere reserve, with a diverse geology and soils, from dolomite to mica schist and numerous boggy areas. Not in every organism group the call for ‘bear’ associations could be served as elegantly as the botanical Lycopodium, a pun that loses its punch line in English. Not even the butterfly experts were successful due to the lack of Arctiinae sightings. The familiar atmosphere and the perfect weather led to the fact that nevertheless nobody was grieved. Moreover, the sightings of all three grouse species consoled even the melancholic about the absence of species like Contarinia baeri.

Our thanks go again to the organizers of E.C.O., the biosphere reserve team and the Ökoteam for the perfect organization and for opening the wide field of bear puns.

Impressions from Leutasch in Tyrol:

Impressions from the Nockberge:

20. July, 2023/by Michaela Sonnleitner

9th ABOL meeting 2022 – a retrospect

Highlights, Meetings

After 2 years of virtual conferences, we were very happy to be able to hold the ABOL annual conference physically again this year. On November 18^th the time had come. The 9^th ABOL conference took place in the Haus für Natur, Museum Niederösterreich, after the 5^th Austrian Biodiversity Forum. As usual, the lecture program was exciting and very broad in topics. The inspiring keynote lecture by Natasha de Vere from the University of Copenhagen on pollen metabarcoding was one of the morning highlights, followed by lectures on different applications of metabarcoding and eDNA barcoding. We were also very pleased to welcome Cyprian Katongo from the University of Zambia to the ABOL meeting and hear about planned DNA barcoding activities in Zambia. The focal points in the afternoon were the detection of disease vectors using DNA barcoding, but also various groups of organisms such as molluscs, butterflies, gentians and the impressive dung fungi. We would like to thank all the speakers for their exciting contributions and the participants for the lively discussions. Unfortunately, with around 55 participants, the conference was less well attended than the conferences before the pandemic.
Special thanks also go to the Museum Niederösterreich for the good cooperation and our sponsors Microsynth, Eppendorf and MDPI Diversity.

Impressions of the meeting (Photos: M. Sonnleitner):

Gruppenfoto ABOL 2022

Irmgard Greilhuber, Univ. Wien. ABOL 2022

Cyprian Katongo, Univ. of Zambia. ABOL 2022

Stephan Koblmüller, Univ. Graz. ABOL 2022

Natasha de Vere, Univ. Copenhagen. ABOL 2022

Christian Bräuchler, ABOL project leader, NHM Vienna. ABOL 2022

Bettina Thalinger, Univ. Innsbruck. ABOL 2022

Vid Svara, Carinthia University of Applied Sciences. ABOL 2022

Andreas Tribsch, Univ. Salzburg. ABOL 2022

Elisabeth Haring, ABOL project leader, NHM Vienna. ABOL 2022

Nikola Szucsich, ABOL manager, NHM. ABOL 2022

24. November, 2022/by Michaela Sonnleitner

DNA barcoding workshop - lab work. Photo: M. Sonnleitner

ABOL goes Zambia

Highlights, Workshops

DNA barcoding workshop at the University of Zambia

In early October, ABOL held a DNA barcoding workshop at the University of Zambia (UNZA) in Lusaka together with Prof. Cyprian Katongo. The workshop – as part of the OeAD cooperation development research project “DNA barcoding of Zambia’s biodiversity” (led by the University of Graz) – aimed to teach students and employees the method and applications of DNA barcoding. The workshop started with two keynote lectures by Prof. Christian Sturmbauer (Univ. Graz). This was followed by a series of lectures on various aspects of biodiversity and DNA barcoding, held by Stephan Koblmüller (Univ. Graz), Cyprian Katongo (UNZA), Nikola Szucsich and Michaela Sonnleitner (ABOL coordination). After the strenuous introduction, the sampling trip to the Kafue and Zambezi rivers was certainly a highlight for the approximately 30 participants. Equipped with nets, the participants tried to catch different species of dragonflies and damselflies, which was very successful after a short training phase. Odonata are good indicator organisms for the quality of water bodies and are therefore well suited for starting a biodiversity survey. Suitable identification literature is also available. In addition, fish specimens for sampling were provided by the Department of Fisheries. The next day, tissue samples were taken from the dragonflies and fish and the animals were dry mounted/prepared for storage. The DNA extraction was carried out in the laboratory of veterinary medicine under the guidance of Lukas Zangl (University of Graz, Universalmuseum Joanneum) and Stephan Koblmüller. The last two days were dedicated to data analysis and interpretation. The participants were able to edit sequence data provided by the course leaders, calculate phylogenetic trees, etc. The participants were enthusiastic and committed to the task until the very end. We hope that the workshop has contributed to establish DNA barcoding as an approach to investigate Zambia’s rich biodiversity.

Impressiones from the workshop:

14. November, 2022/by Michaela Sonnleitner

ABOL meeting: Call for Abstracts

Highlights, Meetings, Veranstaltungen

Dear ABOL Community

the joint registration page for the ABOL meeting and the Biodiversity Forum is now online.
Please register on the following page: -> Days of Biodiversity – Program & Registration

Abstracts for talks (15 min. + 5 min. discussion) and flash talks (5 min. + 3 min. discussion) can still be submitted for the ABOL meeting on November 30th. Please send your abstract by Nov. 7th by email to: abol@nhm-wien.ac.at. We look forward to your interesting talk!

Unfortunately we have to announce that the ABOL meeting will take place again this year as a pure ONLINE conference. The Covid-19 regulations do not allow a cozy get-together, so we did not consider it useful to hold a face-to-face conference. However, we are confident that the online meeting will also be successful thanks to your help!

ABOL conference website

The ABOL coordination team

25. October, 2021/by Michaela Sonnleitner

Sabine Schoder

ABOL BioBlitz at the Tyrolean Day of Biodiversity in the Nature Park Kaunergrat

ABOL BioBlitz, Citizen Science, Highlights

In Tyrol, ABOL was once again able to participate in the Day of Biodiversity with a BioBlitz Initiative. Selected areas in the Nature Park Kaunergrat were examined – from wet to dry, lean meadows to bog areas, boulder fields, alpine meadows and alpine grasslands. In addition to butterfly experts, who began their surveys with light traps on Friday evening, experts on beetles, grasshoppers, flies, hymenoptera, birds, mammals, plants and fungi took part in the event. On Saturday, the participants flocked to the various survey areas to compile as comprehensive a species list as possible by late afternoon. Finally, at 16h, an invitation was extended to the Experts’ Coffee in the Nature Park House “Gacher Blick”, where there was time to exchange ideas and to let the Day of Biodiversity come to a pleasant end. A final presentation of the results will take place this year for the first time in autumn – probably partly online.

We would like to thank all participants of the ABOL BioBlitz! A big thank also goes to the organisers of the Day of Biodiversity, who managed with great spontaneity to move the planned event location from the Pfundser Tschey to the Kaunergrat Nature Park and still provide perfect catering and accommodation.

Impressions from the study area: (Photos: C. Leeb):

Graphosoma italicum in the Nature Park Kaunergrat. Photo: C. Leeb

Sempervivum montanum in the Nature Park Kaunergrat. Photo: C. Leeb

In search of species in the Nature Park Kaunergrat. Photo: C. Leeb

Common frog (Rana temporaria) in the Nature Park Kaunergrat. Photo: C. Leeb

Parnassius apollo in the Nature Park Kaunergrat. Photo: S. Schoder

Lichen in the Nature Park Kaunergrat. Photo: C. Leeb

European mole (Talpa europaea) with Nicrophorus vespilloides. Photo: N. Szucsich

Cercopis sanguinolenta in the Nature Park Kaunergrat. Photo: C. Leeb

Goats in the Nature Park Kaunergrat. Photo: S. Schoder

Parts of the ABOL coordination team. Photo: C. Leeb

Nature Park Kaunergrat. Photo: N. Szucsich

14. July, 2021/by Michaela Sonnleitner

ABOL BioBlitz 2021

ABOL BioBlitz, Highlights, Meetings

After two successful runs in 2019 and 2020 ABOL BioBlitzes are already well known in the community . This year we will again take part in the Days of Biodiversity and call collectors to take part in the ABOL BioBlitz campaign. The aim is to sample collected and determined animals (especially insects) for genetic analysis. Thereby, added value can be created – we can contribute to the DNA barcoding database, secure the determination and convey an innovative method.

More information: ABOL BioBlitz 2021

For the first time this year, we are also offering Data Workshops in which the handling of DNA barcoding data and the international BOLD database can be learned and practiced. The online workshops can be attended by collectors and other interested persons. The dates are set as required. If you are interested, please send an email to Oliver.Macek@nhm-wien.ac.at.

More information: Data workshops

6. April, 2021/by Michaela Sonnleitner

ABOL enters the next stage

Highlights, Projects

Dear ABOL Community

It is our pleasure to announce that the ABOL coordination is funded for another 3 years, so that we can continue to record the Austrian biodiversity and to support the biodiversity community in general.
The filling of the reference database is of course still the focus of our activities, but the application sector of DNA barcoding will play an increasingly important role. The ABOL BioBlitz campaigns will also be continued and expanded.
In times of a global biodiversity crisis, the national and international bundling of activities is of central importance. Global and European initiatives to record biodiversity are currently emerging, such as Lifeplan or BioScan Europe, in which ABOL is involved representing Austria. National networking plays an equally important role, because international cooperation requires strong national partners.
Since ABOL has no overall financing, the data production is carried out in many larger and smaller projects. We are always on the ball to develop funding channels and generate project ideas, but we rely on the help of the community. We hope and look forward to further successful cooperation.

The ABOL coordination team

Press release (in German only): https://www.nhm-wien.ac.at/presse/pressemitteilungen2021/abol

Species-rich meadow in the Upper Austrian Alpine forelands (c) ABOL

Collecting excursion in the Northern Limestone Alps (c) ABOL

Collection of Pannonian wild bees at the Natural History Museum Vienna (c) NHM

29. March, 2021/by Michaela Sonnleitner

Workshops “BOLD & Data analysis”

Highlights, Meetings, Workshops

The new ABOL workshop offer “BOLD & data analysis” has started successfully.

In February, the first two workshops familiarized already a total of 28 participants with the international Barcode of Life Database (BOLD) and enabled them to get insights into the analysis tools of this platform. During the workshops the participants had the opportunity to work actively with the platform and practice the interpretation of the DNA barcoding data.
The online format of the workshops facilitated cross-border participation – members from a total of 15 institutes were represented from Austria, Germany, Croatia and Italy. Due to the different levels of knowledge, from DNA barcoding newbies to veterans, lively discussions developed about the BOLD, its various functions, details and possibilities and the topic of DNA barcoding in general.
Equipped with introductory information, the participants were able to use a test data set to cope with simple and advanced exercises autonomously and to experience the most common situations on BOLD themselves. BOLD offers good possibilities to solve (simple) DNA barcode analyzes without much effort. In addition, individual and special questions from the participants were addressed, such as the topic of DNA barcoding of museum material, data upload to BOLD & communication with other BOLD users, as well as the weak points of the platform.
Furthermore, we wanted to show how important good data quality is for the usability of a reference database and that BOLD promotes this approach, but the community is just as responsible for constantly improving the quality.

We are very pleased, that the participants also took the chance to strengthen the network of the Austrian and neighbouring biodiversity community in the course of these ABOL workshops.
The next workshop is on March 26^th, and more workshops will certainly follow in the future! If you are interested, please contact Oliver Macek by email!

Current information about the workshops can be found on our website:

Website - Data Workshop

11. March, 2021/by Michaela Sonnleitner