Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) Project – Abridged Grant Proposal

The Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) Project has the overarching aim of accelerating the use of genomic science to enhance understanding of biodiversity, monitor biodiversity change, and guide interventions to address its decline. The BGE Project comprises activities focused on DNA Barcoding (Barcoding Stream) and Reference Genome Generation (Genomes Stream) for eukaryotic species across Europe, bringing together two European networks: the International Barcode of Life in Europe (iBOL Europe) and the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA). This publication is an abridged version of the successful grant proposal developed jointly by iBOL Europe and ERGA in response to the Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-01. Two key strands of genomic science form the basis of this proposal: DNA barcoding - sequencing short, standardised genomic regions to tell the world’s species apart, transforming the speed of completion of the inventory of life on Earth and providing the foundations of a global bio-surveillance system for biodiversity; and genome sequencing - generating high-quality complete reference genomes for all species on Earth, transforming understanding of biodiversity at the genetic level, and delivering fundamental knowledge of how biological systems function and how species respond and adapt to environmental change. The BGE Project objectives are focused on (i) Capacity: To establish functioning biodiversity genomics networks at the European level to connect and grow community capacity to use genomic tools to tackle the biodiversity crisis; (ii) Production: To establish and implement large-scale biodiversity genomic data generation pipelines for Europe to accelerate the production and accessibility of genomic data for biodiversity characterisation, conservation, and biomonitoring; and (iii) Application: To apply genomic tools to enhance understanding of pan-European biodiversity and biodiversity declines to improve the efficacy of management interventions and biomonitoring programmes.

Authors

Institutions

Publication Details

Journal
Research Ideas and Outcomes
Published
2026-02-27
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3897/rio.12.e187550
Primary Topic
Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
Type
article
Field-Weighted Citation Impact
0.00

Funders

Controls
|||
ALL TIME
JAN
FEB
MAR
APR
MAY
JUN
JUL
AUG
SEP
OCT
article

Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) Project – Abridged Grant Proposal

José Melo‐Ferreira, Brent C. Emerson, Hugues Roest Crollius, Claúdio Ciofi et al.
Research Ideas and Outcomes
Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
article

Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) Project – Abridged Grant Proposal

José Melo‐Ferreira, Brent C. Emerson, Hugues Roest Crollius, Claúdio Ciofi, Henrik Lantz, Urmas Kõljalg, Elza Duijm, Alexandros Triantafyllidis, Michał Grabowski, P. d’ Oliveira, Michael J. Raupach, Claudia Bruschini, Ximo Mengual, Rebekah A. Oomen, Konstantinos Gkagkavouzis, Glenn Dunshea, Jonas J. Astrin, Alessio Iannucci, Katharina F. Heil, Tamás Cserkész, Peter W. Harrison, Torbjørn Ekrem, Camila J. Mazzoni, Jose Alonso, N. Yan, Laura Iacolina, Sara Fratini, Maximilian Wagner, Filippos A. Aravanopoulos, Ian Barnes, Jan Niklas Macher, Rubén Fernández, Marta Ortova Gut, Ana Farrar Riesgo, Wouter Addink, Jean-Marc Aury, Rutger Vos, Jacob Höglund, Astrid Bohne, Elena Buzan, Gabriela Dankova, Tyler Alioto, Tereza Manousaki, Anna Somogyi, Pedro Beja, Hannes Svardal, Ben W. Price, K S Jakobsen, Thanos Dailianis, Ave Tooming-Klunderud, Patrick Wincker, Bjorn Grüning, Carole Goble, Sónia Ferreira, Giulio Formenti, Sarah Bourlat, Mark Blaxter, Peter Hollingsworth, Robert Waterhouse, Guy Cochrane, Torsten Struck, Olga Vinnere Pettersson, Ana Casino, Fergal Martin, Axel Hausmann
article en

Abstract

The Biodiversity Genomics Europe (BGE) Project has the overarching aim of accelerating the use of genomic science to enhance understanding of biodiversity, monitor biodiversity change, and guide interventions to address its decline. The BGE Project comprises activities focused on DNA Barcoding (Barcoding Stream) and Reference Genome Generation (Genomes Stream) for eukaryotic species across Europe, bringing together two European networks: the International Barcode of Life in Europe (iBOL Europe) and the European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA). This publication is an abridged version of the successful grant proposal developed jointly by iBOL Europe and ERGA in response to the Horizon Europe call HORIZON-CL6-2021-BIODIV-01-01. Two key strands of genomic science form the basis of this proposal: DNA barcoding - sequencing short, standardised genomic regions to tell the world’s species apart, transforming the speed of completion of the inventory of life on Earth and providing the foundations of a global bio-surveillance system for biodiversity; and genome sequencing - generating high-quality complete reference genomes for all species on Earth, transforming understanding of biodiversity at the genetic level, and delivering fundamental knowledge of how biological systems function and how species respond and adapt to environmental change. The BGE Project objectives are focused on (i) Capacity: To establish functioning biodiversity genomics networks at the European level to connect and grow community capacity to use genomic tools to tackle the biodiversity crisis; (ii) Production: To establish and implement large-scale biodiversity genomic data generation pipelines for Europe to accelerate the production and accessibility of genomic data for biodiversity characterisation, conservation, and biomonitoring; and (iii) Application: To apply genomic tools to enhance understanding of pan-European biodiversity and biodiversity declines to improve the efficacy of management interventions and biomonitoring programmes.

Research Ideas and OutcomesVol. 12
University of New Brunswick (CA), University of Primorska (SI), Leiden University (NL), Uppsala University (SE), SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics (CH), Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Naturalis Biodiversity Center (NL), European Bioinformatics Institute (GB), Swedish Veterinary Agency (SE), Natural History Museum (GB), University of Antwerp (BE), University of Rijeka (HR), University of Freiburg (DE), Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh (GB), Universidade do Porto (PT), University of Oslo (NO), University of Agder (NO), Norwegian University of Science and Technology (NO), University of Applied Sciences Leiden (NL), Aristotle University of Thessaloniki (GR), Commissariat à l'Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives (FR), Université Paris Sciences et Lettres (FR), Université Paris-Saclay (FR), Hungarian Natural History Museum (HU), Science for Life Laboratory (SE), Wellcome Sanger Institute (GB), Hungarian National Museum (HU), University of Manchester (GB), École Normale Supérieure - PSL (FR), University of Łódź (PL), Consortium of European Taxonomic Facilities (BE), Zoological Research Museum Alexander Koenig (DE), Instituto de Productos Naturales y Agrobiología (ES), Genoscope (FR), Berlin Center for Genomics in Biodiversity Research (DE), Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales (ES), College of Environmental Protection (SI), CEA Paris-Saclay (FR), Institut de Biologie de l'École Normale Supérieure (FR), Hellenic Centre for Marine Research (GR), Institut de Biologia Evolutiva (ES), Bavarian State Collection of Zoology (DE), Centro Nacional de Análisis Genómico (ES), Health Data Research UK (GB), Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research (DE), Leibniz Institute for the Analysis of Biodiversity Change (DE), University of Florence (IT), Arizona State University (US), University of Tartu (EE), Universitat de Barcelona (ES), Rockefeller University (US), University of Gothenburg (SE), University of Lausanne (CH)
UK Research and Innovation, HORIZON EUROPE Framework Programme, Staatssekretariat für Bildung, Forschung und Innovation
Life in Land
Openalex Percentile: Top 49%
Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
AI Navigator

Ask Laika to Summarize, Analyze, and Connect papers live on the map.

Summarize Papers & Methodologies

Extract key findings, datasets, and comparative methods across publications.

Benchmark Rankings & Visual Analytics

Rank top research institutions, authors, funders, topics, and journals by Field-Weighted Citation Impact (FWCI) and paper volume with instant charts.

Connect Distant Disciplines

Bridge topological clusters on the map to find hidden collaborative intersections.