Tag Archive for: ABOL

ABOL BioBlitz 2021

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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
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ABOL enters the next stage

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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
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Workshops “BOLD & Data analysis”

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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 26th, 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
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ABOL meeting 2020 – programme

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Dear ABOL Community,

the conference program for the ABOL meeting is now complete. We are happy about the many interesting contributions that have been submitted!

Registration for the ABOL meeting is possible until the meeting!

Registration
programme-abol-meeting3-forweb
Download Abstracts

We look forward to an interesting event in a format that is new to us!

Your ABOL coordination team

 

 

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Days of Biodiversity 2020

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Dear ABOL community,

due to the current situation, we can finally announce that there will be an ABOL conference this year, on December 5th following the Biodiversity Forum.
Both events will take place together as Days of Biodiversity in St. Pölten – the 3rd Austrian Forum on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services on December 4th and the 7th ABOL conference on December 5th. At the same time, it will also be possible to take part in the conference virtually (live streaming).

The conference fee for the ABOL meeting of € 20 for meals will be collected on site (free for students).

Abstracts for lectures and posters on DNA barcoding and its practical application can now be submitted! Please send an email to abol@nhm-wien.ac.at.

Please save the date! More detailed information will follow!

With kind regards,

the ABOL coordination team

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Amphibians & Reptiles of Austria – a new Publication!

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The DNA barcode library for Austrian amphibians and reptiles is now complete. All native species were analyzed, with the exception of Vipera ursinii rakosiensis and Lissotriton helveticus, which are probably extinct or extremely rare and spatially limited.

As part of the ABOL initiative, 194 DNA barcodes were created at the University of Graz, mainly from material in scientific collections, but also from fresh material. The species identification via the respective DNA barcodes was successful in most cases, except in the hybridogenic complex of water frogs (Pelophylax spp.) and the crested newts (Triturus spp.) from regions of sympatric occurrence. The presence of Natrix helvetica and Pelophylax bergeri has been recorded for the first time in Western Austria. The comparison with existing data of European reptiles and amphibians confirmed the results obtained, but also showed the strengths and limitations of DNA barcoding in amphibians and reptiles in some special cases.

DNA barcoding once again turned out to be an efficient approach for species identification at all stages of development, but also for the discovery of new, and also invasive species. On the one hand, these data act as an important scientific basis, on the other hand, as a basis for national and transnational conservation efforts.

We congratulate the team for the successful publication! Read it here.

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ABOL meeting 2019 – in retrospect

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Dear ABOL community,

this year, the ABOL meeting took place in Innsbruck for the first time. Gorgeous winter weather formed the framework for the 3-day event, which consisted of the first D-A-CH User Group Meeting (UGM) on the subject of DNA methods in environmental management and the 6th ABOL meeting. The first two days with top-class lectures and interesting discussions were dedicated to the application of DNA-based methods in environmental monitoring and implementation at the legal level. At the method pitch, the participants could explore details about different methods. The last day’s ABOL meeting amended the scientific basis of DNA barcoding and the important issue of creating reliable references that are essential for further applications. The breadth of international participation and the diversity of the presentations ideally reflected the opening up of ABOL to the entire biodiversity community. We thank all speakers for the exciting contributions and all participants for coming!
Special thanks go to Michael Traugott and his team for the perfect organization and last but not least for the world premiere of the first genetic determination of a Krampus at the conference dinner :-)

We wish you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year and hope for fruitful cooperation next year.

Best Regards,

the ABOL coordination team
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Some impressions from the DACH-UGM and ABOL meeting (Photos by Veronika Neidel and Michaela Sonnleitner):

 

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Early bird Registration extended!

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Dear ABOL community, dear colleagues,

We have extended the early bird registration for this year’s ABOL conference until October 18th !
Conference contributions in the form of 15 minute talks or lightning talks (3 minutes) can be submitted until October 31st.

Registration

Further information about the conference can be found on our conference website.

We look forward to your participation!

The ABOL coordination team

 

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iBOL 2019 group photo, (c) Åge HojemÅge Hojem CC-BY-SA 4.0

iBOL-Congress 2019

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From the 17th to the 20th of June 2019 the 8th International Barcode of Life Conference took place in Trondheim, Norway. In addition to numerous excellent lectures on metabarcoding, eDNA and many other aspects of biodiversity research, the iBOL program BioSCAN was launched. The iBOL community not only aims to generate DNA barcodes from 2 million species, but also wants to highlight interactions between species and the dynamics of biodiversity. ABOL is happy to contribute to this endeavor.

iBOL 2019 Trondheim congress center
iBOL 2019 Trondheim congress center
iBOL 2019 Trondheim BioSCAN hebert
iBOL 2019 Trondheim BioSCAN hebert
iBOL 2019 Trondheim DNAquanet Leese1
iBOL 2019 Trondheim DNAquanet Leese1
iBOL 2019 Trondheim DNAquanet Leese2
iBOL 2019 Trondheim DNAquanet Leese2
iBOL 2019 Trondheim gala dinner
iBOL 2019 Trondheim gala dinner
iBOL 2019 Trondheim dinner music
iBOL 2019 Trondheim dinner music
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ABOL meeting 2019 – Save the date!

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Dear ABOL community,

our this year´s ABOL meeting will take place on Friday 6th of December in Innsbruck.

In advance, a DACH User Group Meeting on “DNA Methods in Environmental Management” will be held on 4th  and 5th of December together with Germany and Switzerland.

There will be a common as well as separate registration possible. We look forward to your participation.

Please save the date! More detailed information will follow.

Best regards,

your ABOL coordination team

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