Descrizione del progetto
Gli elefanti africani al microscopio genetico evolutivo
Gli elefanti africani sono in pericolo e sono indicati come «vulnerabili» nella Lista rossa dell’Unione internazionale per la conservazione della natura. Proprio loro sono al centro del progetto STAMPEDE, finanziato dall’UE. Per studiare la genetica di conservazione delle popolazioni minacciate di estinzione, il progetto creerà una fonte unica di informazioni genetiche sugli elefanti africani nel passato e nel presente. In questo modo verranno generati dati genomici a bassa profondità per 500 elefanti africani. Tali dati saranno utilizzati per l’analisi della diversità genetica attuale. Inoltre, essi saranno utilizzati per identificare l’origine dell’avorio antico rinvenuto nel relitto del Bajo de la Campana vicino alla costa iberica, risalente al 600-500 a.C. circa. Si ritiene che l’avorio provenga dal Nord Africa da elefanti che molto probabilmente erano quelli usati durante le guerre puniche.
Obiettivo
The proposed project aims to investigate novel ways of bridging the study of evolutionary history of extinct populations with the study of conservation genetics of populations threatened by extinction. I plan to use a multidimensional approach by studying populations across time, space, and scientific fields. Combining the spatio-temporal and cross-disciplinary aspects, I plan to create a unique source of genetic information about African elephants in the past and present. I will do this by generating low-depth genomic data for 500 African elephants from across the current range, which will be used for analyses of present-day genetic diversity and connectivity. In addition, this genomic catalogue will be used to identify the provenance of ancient ivory from the Bajo de la Campana shipwreck that sank near the Iberian coast ~600-500 BCE. This ivory is assumed to have originated in North Africa, and thus, represents a rare opportunity to generate first data of an extinct population of elephants. These were likely the elephants that were used as war elephants during the Punic Wars, but there is an ongoing discussion about which species they belonged to. Using ancient DNA techniques to recover DNA from the shipwreck ivory, I will test if they represent a genetically distinct lineage or show affinity to any of the modern populations. Although the goals of this project are ambitious, all pieces required for its successful realization are already in place, including a network of collaborators providing access to samples, expertise of the supervisor and host institute in conservation projects and bioinformatics, and my expertise in palaeogenomics and conservation genomics. The findings of this project have the potential to yield important scientific achievements and serve as a valuable resource for conservation management, while I will be able to use the acquired experience and training to profile myself as an independent research leader.
Campo scientifico
Parole chiave
Programma(i)
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Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinatore
1165 Kobenhavn
Danimarca