Latest DNA barcoding developments in Europe

On 22 june 2010 the new online database Q-Bank was launched as a tool for the identification and detection of harmful organisms. These organisms include:

• Bacteria
• Fungi
• Insects
• Nematodes
• Viruses and viroides
• Invasive plants

More informations is available from QBOL.

 

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During the ECBOL2 meeting held in Braga, Portugal, 2-4 June 2010, the following views were expressed by the meeting panel:

• Possibly reconsider the taxonomic classification of microfauna and -flora
  due to a bottle neck effect in naming species and might have to consider
  an operational species unit system for these organisms.
• Apply for network funding from ESF to allow members of the core group to
  meet on a regular basis. This will be approximately 100K euro per year for
  five years.
• Need a strong proposal for large-scale funding of barcoding in Europe with
  barcoding of specimens in collections of museums and other institutes
  forming the core of the proposal.
• This meeting was open to new fields, introducing new taxa and new ways
  of treating and applying barcoding data and allowed participants to get a
  global view of biodiversity and gave a new perspective on barcoding.
• The meeting highlighted the expansion in researchers doing barcoding in
  Europe and could therefore allow for more that wishes to be involved in
  barcoding.
• Need to engage more people by improving communication through a
  newsletter and dynamic website allowing better integration of barcoding
  initiatives and help other to get started in barcoding.
• More barcoding workshops are required to engage and help new people in
  the field of barcoding.