ADVANCEMENT IN EDNA FRESHWATER PHYTOPLANKTON RESEARCH AND BIOMONITORING – REFBAR PROJECT

The quantity and quality of freshwater habitats in rivers, lakes, and wetlands are rapidly declining on a global scale. Almost half of all lakes in the European Union (EU) are below good ecological status. To improve the health of lakes, efficient biodiversity monitoring is essential. Phytoplankton, as a complex assemblage of different microalgal groups and cyanobacteria, responds to different pressures on lakes, and thus represents a key biological quality element required by the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). The REFBAR project aims to improve the detection of freshwater plankton microalgae and cyanobacteria through a DNA-based method. The consortium includes three research institutions and three companies from Europe, as well as two academic institutions from South America. We will innovate a DNA extraction protocol for phytoplankton, design new 23S RNA primers suitable for long-read sequencing, develop a cost-effective portable genetic workflow, sequence DNA barcodes of phytoplankton specimens from culture collections (barcoding) and complex environmental samples (metabarcoding), and upgrade the Phytool reference library. Finally, an international expert team will be established to curate the Phytool barcode library. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 101236590.

Presentation Preference: Poster

Primary Presenter: Milos Ciric, University of Belgrade, Institute of chemistry, technology and metallurgy (ciricmilosh@yahoo.com)

Authors:

Miloš Ćirić, University of Belgrade, Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy  (ciricmilosh@yahoo.com)

Danijela Vidaković, University of Belgrade, Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy  (daca.vidakovic89@gmail.com)

Kristina Petrović, University of Belgrade, Institute of Chemistry, Technology and Metallurgy  (kristina.petrovic@ihtm.bg.ac.rs)

Frédéric Rimet, UMR CARRTEL, INRAE, Savoie-Mont Blanc University; Pôle R&D ECLA Ecosystèmes Lacustres  (frederic.rimet@inrae.fr)

Kálmán Tapolczai, HUN-REN Balaton Limnological Research Institute  (tapolczai.kalman@blki.hu)

Marlon Clark, Basecamp Research LTD - Unit 315  (marlon@basecamp-research.com)

Eelco Wallaart, Sylphium L.S.  (info@sylphium.com)

Zarina Rorije, Sylphium L.S.  (z.rorije@sylphium.com)

Aurélie Bonin, Argaly  (aurelie.bonin@argaly.com)

María Mercedes Nicolosi Gelis, Instituto de Limnología Dr. Raúl A. Ringuelet (ILPLA), CONICET–UNLP  (mercedesnicolosi@ilpla.edu.ar)

Pablo Hernán Sotelo Torres, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Facultad de Ciencias Químicas, Departamento de Biotecnología  (phsotelo@qui.una.py)

Gilberto Antonio Benitez Rodas, Universidad Nacional de Asunción, Centro Multidisciplinario de Investigaciones Tecnológicas  (gabrgilan@gmail.com)