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Linking livestock genetic diversity with three thousand years of agricultural crises and resilience

Project description

A closer look at long-term sustainability of modern breeding practices

Maintaining diversity amongst livestock is recognised as one of the UN's Sustainable Development Goals. But it remains unclear how much genetic variability was present, and subsequently lost, before, during and after either of the Agricultural Revolutions. Also, we do not understand how efficiently it was utilised. The EU-funded PALAEOFARM will investigate how livestock populations withstood epidemics and selective breeding in a world without antibiotics or quantitative genetic techniques. The answer will provide a new perspective on how a multi-billion euro industry, responsible for feeding billions of people, can be sustained in the face of major biotechnological obsolescence. The project will use ancient DNA, archaeozoology and experimental immunology to identify how genetic variability was leveraged across major agricultural transitions in European history.

Objective

Over the last 50 years, chicken production has increased fivefold, chicken growth rate has tripled, and milk production per cow has doubled. Yet, many of the biotechnological tools responsible for this accelerated trend are now under threat of becoming obsolete. While the causes are numerous, one significant driver is a dramatic reduction of genetic diversity in livestock populations.

Cycles of agricultural productivity growth and decline have occurred throughout European history, spurred by major historical forces such as the spread of empires and continent-wide epidemics. For example, productivity crashed between the 4th-13th centuries, only to rebound during the Agricultural Revolution of the 13-18th centuries. Fluctuating levels of genetic diversity were likely both cause and remedy to these cycles. Genetic diversity acts as a fuel for selection: the lower it is, the more difficult it is to improve traits, and the more likely that epidemics will develop and spread. Given this importance, maintaining diversity amongst livestock is recognised as one of the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Despite this, we lack any understanding of how much genetic variability was present, and subsequently lost, before, during, and after either the Green or Agricultural Revolutions, nor do we understand how efficiently it was utilised.

PALAEOFARM will assess the long-term sustainability of modern breeding practices by unravelling how genetic variability was leveraged across major agricultural transitions in European history. Using an innovative combination of ancient DNA, archaeozoology, and experimental immunology, I will explore how livestock populations withstood epidemics and selective breeding in a world without antibiotics or quantitative genetic techniques. This will provide a novel perspective on how a multi-billion euro industry, responsible for feeding billions of people, can be sustained in the face of major biotechnological obsolescence.

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Topic(s)

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ERC-STG - Starting Grant

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Call for proposal

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(opens in new window) ERC-2019-STG

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Host institution

LUDWIG-MAXIMILIANS-UNIVERSITAET MUENCHEN
Net EU contribution

Net EU financial contribution. The sum of money that the participant receives, deducted by the EU contribution to its linked third party. It considers the distribution of the EU financial contribution between direct beneficiaries of the project and other types of participants, like third-party participants.

€ 989 253,75
Address
GESCHWISTER SCHOLL PLATZ 1
80539 MUNCHEN
Germany

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Region
Bayern Oberbayern München, Kreisfreie Stadt
Activity type
Higher or Secondary Education Establishments
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Total cost

The total costs incurred by this organisation to participate in the project, including direct and indirect costs. This amount is a subset of the overall project budget.

€ 989 253,75

Beneficiaries (3)

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