ABOL project – ABOL – The Austrian Barcode of Life

ABOL reference data (ABOL-RefDat) – call for project collaboration!

We are very pleased that the ABOL-RefDat project, funded by the Biodiversity Fund, started at the beginning of the year!

Our goal? The creation of at least 5,000 DNA barcodes for at least 1,500 Austrian species of animals, plants and fungi, as well as closing data gaps in Austria! A particular focus is on pollinators, soil and aquatic organisms.

As part of the RefDat project, we can award contracts for taxonomic work for the first time and are still looking for project partners!
Using checklists, we can perform GAP analyses to specifically identify taxon-specific data gaps, i.e. identify species for which no or only a few DNA barcodes of species from Austria are available in the BOLD (Barcode of Life Data System). This way we can work together to complete the reference data! As part of RefDat, collection material (that is not too old) can be used, as well as specifically newly collected material, for which collection permits must be available. The DNA barcodes generated in the project will be fed into the international database BOLD and will be available open access for numerous applications.

Requirements for cooperation:

suitable, morphologically well-determined material
submission of collection permits for new collected specimens (mandatory!)
deposition of reference organisms in scientific collections
start as soon as possible, sample processing should be completed by the beginning of 2025

Due to the relatively short project duration until October 2025, we are trying to find partners quickly.
If you are interested, please contact us as quickly as possible (abol@nhm-wien.ac.at)!

This project is funded by the Biodiversity Fund of the Federal Ministry for Climate Action, Environment, Energy, Mobility, Innovation and Technology of Austria.

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: