DNA barcoding and metabarcoding

• Applicants: Professor Dr. Nico Blüthgen; Professor Dr. Alexander Keller
• Subject Area: Ecology and Biodiversity of Animals and Ecosystems, Organismic Interactions
• Term: since 2021
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 444827997

As part of the coordination application, the research group is applying for central material resources for the genetic analyses that are required in all sub-projects. As a core service project, subproject Z will primarily support all other SPs with DNA barcoding and metabarcoding service with a unified and standardized workflow. This will encompass stages from sample storage, tracking and laboratory processing to sequencing data generation and subsequent bioinformatic data analysis. It will further support in interpretation of data and results and contribute to open access deposition of sequencing data and associated metadata. Additionally, Z will organize a comprehensive workshop on data analysis and downstream applications. This workshop will provide a holistic understanding of the benefits, challenges, potential pitfalls, opportunities, and best practices for the effective use and interpretation of (meta-)barcoding data. Further, Z will lead syntheses regarding microbiomes across all subprojects, integrating findings to determine overarching trends in microbiome assembly and function across hosts and environmental contexts.

• DFG Programme: Research Units
• Subproject of: FOR 5207: Reassembly of species interaction networks – Resistance, resilience and functional recovery of a rainforest ecosystem
• International Connection: Ecuador
• Cooperation Partner: Dr. Sebastian Escobar