Peer Review Report For: Recommendations for connecting molecular sequence and biodiversity research infrastructures through ELIXIR [version 1; peer review: 1 approved, 1 approved with reservations]
Abstract
Threats to global biodiversity are increasingly recognised by scientists and the public as a critical challenge. Molecular sequencing technologies offer means to catalogue, explore, and monitor the richness and biogeography of life on Earth. However, exploiting their full potential requires tools that connect biodiversity infrastructures and resources. As a research infrastructure developing services and technical solutions that help integrate and coordinate life science resources across Europe, ELIXIR is a key player. To identify opportunities, highlight priorities, and aid strategic thinking, here we survey approaches by which molecular technologies help inform understanding of biodiversity. We detail example use cases to highlight how DNA sequencing is: resolving taxonomic issues; Increasing knowledge of marine biodiversity; helping understand how agriculture and biodiversity are critically linked; and playing an essential role in ecological studies. Together with examples of national biodiversity programmes, the use cases show where progress is being made but also highlight common challenges and opportunities for future enhancement of underlying technologies and services that connect molecular and wider biodiversity domains. Based on emerging themes, we propose key recommendations to guide future funding for biodiversity research: biodiversity and bioinformatic infrastructures need to collaborate closely and strategically; taxonomic efforts need to be aligned and harmonised across domains; metadata needs to be standardised and common data management approaches widely adopted; current approaches need to be scaled up dramatically to address the anticipated explosion of molecular data; bioinformatics support for biodiversity research needs to be enabled and sustained; training for end users of biodiversity research infrastructures needs to be prioritised; and community initiatives need to be proactive and focused on enabling solutions. For sequencing data to deliver their full potential they must be connected to knowledge: together, molecular sequence data collection initiatives and biodiversity research infrastructures can advance global efforts to prevent further decline of Earth’s biodiversity.
Authors 19
-
SIB Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics · University of Lausanne
Affiliation as printed
Department of Ecology and Evolution and Swiss Institute of Bioinformatics, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Vaud, 1015
-
Affiliation as printed
Université Paris Saclay, Versailles, 78026
-
Affiliation as printed
Plazi, Bern, 3007
-
Czech Academy of Sciences · Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Microbiology of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Praha, 142 20
-
Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Biomembranes, Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, CNR, Bari, 70126
-
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique · Station Biologique de Roscoff · Sorbonne Université
Affiliation as printed
CNRS/Sorbonne Université, Station Biologique de Roscoff, Roscoff, 29680
-
Affiliation as printed
Earlham Institute, Norwich, NR4 7UZ
-
Affiliation as printed
Department of Medical Biochemistry and Microbiology/NBIS, Uppsala University, Uppsala
-
Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies · University of Bari Aldo Moro
Affiliation as printed
Department of Biosciences. Biotechnology and Biopharmaceutics, University of Bari “A. Moro”, Bari, 70126
Institute of Biomembranes, Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, CNR, Bari, 70126
-
Affiliation as printed
Life Sciences & Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH, Bremen
-
Alfred-Wegener-Institut Helmholtz-Zentrum für Polar- und Meeresforschung · University of Bremen
Affiliation as printed
Alfred Wegener Institute, Helmholtz Center for Polar- and Marine Research, Bremerhaven, 27570
MARUM - Center for Marine Environmental Sciences, University of Bremen, Bremerhaven, 27570
-
Niels Raes Aachen NLBIF - Netherlands Biodiversity Information Facility Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Affiliation as printed
NLBIF - Netherlands Biodiversity Information Facility, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, 2300 RA
-
Affiliation as printed
University of Milan Bicocca, Milan, 20127
-
Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies
Affiliation as printed
Institute of Biomembranes, Institute of Biomembranes, Bioenergetics and Molecular Biotechnologies, CNR, Bari, 70126
-
Wouter Addink Aachen DiSSCo - Distributed System of Scientific Collections Naturalis Biodiversity Center
Naturalis Biodiversity Center · Distributed System of Scientific Collections
Affiliation as printed
DiSSCo - Distributed System of Scientific Collections, Naturalis Biodiversity Center, Leiden, 2300 RA
-
Czech Academy of Sciences, Institute of Microbiology
Affiliation as printed
Laboratory of Bioinformatics, Institute of Microbiology, Prague, 142 20
-
Affiliation as printed
Life Sciences & Chemistry, Jacobs University Bremen gGmbH, Bremen
-
UiT The Arctic University of Norway
Affiliation as printed
Dept. of Chemistry, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø
-
Jerry Lanfear corresponding
Affiliation as printed
ELIXIR Hub, Wellcome Genome Campus, Cambridge, CB10 1SD
Cited by 0 stored of 0
No patents citing this paper on Lens.org (checked 2026-10-11).