Project description
Studying the impact of genomic erosion on biodiversity
Human actions have damaged biodiversity worldwide. Many wild populations are in the path of decline and, unfortunately, at this point simply slowing or reversing this decline is not sufficient to restore healthy wildlife populations long-term. This is partly due to genomic erosion, where wild populations lose the genetic diversity they require to be resilient. To address this issue, the EU-funded ERODE project will examine the effects of genomic erosion and create potential solutions to prevent or reverse it. The project will initially focus on studying the genomic changes in three endangered bird species over the past three decades. The results will be used to develop computer models and identify ways to conserve and restore biodiversity for future generations.
Objective
Reducing biodiversity loss is one of the most pressing societal challenges of our time. Population decline has put many species on the path of collapse and extinction. Reducing or reversing this decline is not enough to tackle the associated hidden evolutionary costs, most notably genomic erosion which compromises the long-term viability and resilience of species. ERODE will employ state-of-the-art approaches – (paleo)genomics, quantitative genomics, and evolutionary modelling – to assess the dynamics of genomic erosion on neutral, beneficial, and deleterious variation and understand its effects on organismal fitness, population viability, and extinction risk. I will perform one of the most comprehensive genome-fitness studies to date by examining the fitness effects of genomic erosion over time in 6,530 individuals of three iconic endangered bird species for which I have access to over 30 years of genetic samples and fitness data. Together with zooarchaeological and museum-preserved samples, I will draw a dynamic timeline of genomic erosion in response to population decline. Next, I will develop a modelling framework parametrized and validated with empirical data to predict the consequences of genomic erosion. I will use this framework to understand the efficacy of in-situ and ex-situ conservation strategies in collaboration with The European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA). The computer model will incorporate genomics into the Green Status of Species to evaluate species recovery and conservation impact, in collaboration with members of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN). ERODE will produce one of the largest genomic datasets for endangered species in the world and a robust modelling framework for conservation scientists and practitioners. The outputs will be disseminated in academic journals but also over a series of workshops, instruction videos and other outreach activities, which will support their practical application.
Fields of science
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
CORDIS classifies projects with EuroSciVoc, a multilingual taxonomy of fields of science, through a semi-automatic process based on NLP techniques.
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.1.1 - European Research Council (ERC) Main Programme
Topic(s)
Funding Scheme
ERC - Support for frontier research (ERC)Host institution
1165 Kobenhavn
Denmark