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What is biodiversity? And genomics? How are they related to each other in ways that help species monitoring and conservation? Throughout 2025, the “ ERGA – iBOL Europe Connections ” blog post series addressed these and many other questions about biodiversity genomics, such as the role that citizens play in biodiversity conservation, the difference between DNA barcodes and reference genomes, and all the related disciplines.  This series of blog posts was produced by us, the Biodiversity Genomics Europe  project’s Capacity Pillar team, composed of representatives from both the iBOL Europe  and ERGA  Secretariats.  Each Connection covers an aspect of biodiversity genomics and comes with a simplified-language version, the EasyConnection . The EasyConnections are intended for a lay audience and school pupils, and can be used by teachers at different levels of instruction. Since the end of BGE is fast approaching, we decided to collect all of the EasyConnections in a single booklet, named “Connections - Discovering Biodiversity Genomics.”  It features eight chapters, links to extra material and media, and a “Games” section at the end to test your knowledge once you've read the leaflet. To make it accessible to as wide an audience as possible, we have been translating it into different European languages, and for now, it is accessible in English , Italian and Portuguese . We hope that “Connections” will help you get a better understanding of the fascinating world of biodiversity genomics, and that you will enjoy playing with it! English Português Italiano

Introduction Welcome to the Biodiversity Genomics Alphabet ! This outreach series introduces one concept each month, using plain language and a short local story to help connect genomics to everyday observations of nature and to biodiversity questions that matter for conservation, management, and education. Each entry includes an audio version to support accessibility and translations into several European languages to help everyone reuse the material across contexts. DNA You pick a seed and wonder how it becomes a sunflower, rather than a tomato. Hidden in every cell, what makes each living being unique is a long instruction manual called DNA . This manual is made up of just four letters, each corresponding to a different type of molecule (also called a nucleotide): A (adenine), C (cytosine), G (guanine), and T (thymine). They are written one after the other hundreds, if not billions of times. The order of these letters guides how a living being is constructed and functions. Would you be surprised to learn that 94% of your DNA sequence matches that of your cat? Most people share a nearly identical DNA sequence, but the remaining tiny differences are important and are what make us different from our parents. This is because there are so many possible combinations that can be made, even with a small number of letters. It is how everyone’s DNA writes a unique story of letters. And it is these differences that make you have freckles, determine the way your hair curls (or not), or affect your height. Family members share more similar sequences than random people, which is why your smile resembles that of a parent’s and your walk resembles that of a cousin’s.  DNA, a local story In a small town, two brothers look surprisingly different. One has straight dark hair and brown eyes, the other has curly light hair and blue eyes. Their biology teacher explains that although siblings share most of their DNA, small differences in the order of DNA letters across their genomes can help shape traits like hair texture and eye colour. And you, what traits do you share with your siblings, and what’s different? DNA in action Plant breeders can compare DNA from many sunflowers to find small letter differences linked to useful traits, like drought tolerance or disease resistance. Those DNA clues help them select seeds more efficiently, so farmers can grow crops that cope better with changing conditions. The quick glossary Nucleotide:  one ‘letter’ of DNA (A, C, G, or T). DNA:  the molecule that stores biological instructions in a four-letter code (A, C, G, T). DNA sequence:  the specific order of DNA letters along the DNA molecule. Genome:  all the DNA of an organism (the complete set of its DNA instructions). Other languages Italiano 🇮🇹 DNA Prendi un seme: ti sei mai chiesto come faccia a diventare un girasole e non una pianta di pomodoro? Nascosto in ogni cellula, c’è un lungo manuale di istruzioni chiamato DNA , in grado di rendere ogni essere vivente unico. Questo manuale è scritto con sole quattro lettere, ognuna corrispondente a un diverso tipo di molecola (chiamata nucleotide): A (adenina), C (citosina), G (guanina) e T (timina). Queste lettere sono scritte una dopo l’altra, centinaia di milioni, se non miliardi, di volte. È l’ordine delle lettere a determinare il modo in cui ogni essere vivente viene costruito e funziona. Ad esempio, sapevi che il 94% della tua sequenza di DNA corrisponde a quella del tuo gatto? La maggior parte delle persone, però, condivide una sequenza di DNA quasi identica: sono allora le piccolissime differenze rimanenti a renderci diversi gli uni dagli altri. Anche con un numero così ridotto di lettere, infatti, le combinazioni possibili sono enormi: è così che il DNA di ciascuno scrive una storia unica. E sono proprio queste differenze che possono farti avere le lentiggini, determinare se i tuoi capelli sono ricci (o no) o influenzare la tua altezza. I membri della stessa famiglia condividono ovviamente sequenze più simili rispetto a persone scelte a caso: ecco perché il tuo sorriso ricorda quello di un genitore, e la tua camminata quella di un cugino. Un racconto sul DNA In una piccola città, due fratelli hanno un aspetto sorprendentemente diverso. Uno ha capelli scuri e lisci e occhi marroni, l’altro ha capelli chiari e ricci e occhi azzurri. La loro insegnante di biologia spiega che, sebbene i fratelli condividano la maggior parte del loro DNA, piccole differenze nell'ordine delle lettere del DNA nel loro genoma possono contribuire a determinare caratteristiche come la consistenza dei capelli e il colore degli occhi. E tu, quali caratteristiche condividi con i tuoi fratelli e quali sono diverse? DNA in azione I coltivatori possono confrontare il DNA di molti girasoli per individuare piccole differenze genetiche legate a caratteristiche utili, come la tolleranza alla siccità o la resistenza alle malattie. Questi caratteri genetici li aiutano a selezionare i semi in modo più efficiente, consentendo loro di coltivare prodotti che si adattino meglio alle condizioni mutevoli. Mini glossario Nucleotide:  una ‘lettera’ del DNA (A, C, G o T). DNA:  la molecola che racchiude le istruzioni biologiche in un codice di quattro lettere (i nucleotidi: A, C, G, T). Sequenza di DNA:  l’ordine specifico delle lettere del DNA lungo la molecola. Genoma:  tutto il DNA di un organismo (l’insieme completo delle sue istruzioni). Français 🇫🇷 Deutsch 🇩🇪 Slovenščina 🇸🇮 Eesti keel 🇪🇪 Bosanski 🇧🇦 Hrvatski 🇭🇷 српски 🇷🇸 P ortuguês 🇵🇹 Contributors Isabel R. Amorim, Chiara Bortoluzzi, Elena Buzan, Christian de Guttry, Maris Hindrikson, Stefaniya Kamenova, Emre Keskin, Alice Laigle, Lada Lukić Bilela, Luisa Marins, Filippo Nicolini

News Conferences 2026 - Let's connect! 2026 will be a year full of exciting events for the biodiversity genomics community in Europe. These gatherings offer excellent opportunities to meet and connect with fellow ERGA members. Click here to explore the list of key events and let us know which ones you plan to attend! BGE+ selected for funding! The BGE+ project, a a follow-up of BGE , has been selected for funding by the European Commission. This means that the consortium will continue to receive support toward its long-term objective of establishing a European research infrastructure for biodiversity genomics. Expected to start in mid-2026, BGE+ will bring several engagement and funding opportunities for the ERGA community, so stay tuned! ERGA Council 2026 January and February are months of renewals and transitions within the ERGA Council. We warmly welcome all incoming Council representatives and thank the outgoing members for their valuable contributions! This is a great moment to check your country’s representation and consider getting involved, particularly in countries where representatives are still needed. Head to the “ Our Community ” page to see who represents your country and contact them to learn more about ERGA activities at the national level. EBP Spotlight: Building communities, fostering collaboration This month’s issue of the Earth BioGenome Project newsletter, EBP Life , features a spotlight on Rob Waterhouse, current Chair of ERGA. It’s an interesting read to learn more about Rob’s career trajectory and the power of scientific communities. 🐐 GoaT Update During the last ERGA Plenary, Cibele Sotero-Caio, curator of the Genomes on a Tree ( GoaT ) database, presented an update on this important repository of genome-relevant metadata, including recent developments and ongoing efforts to address feedback from its growing user community. You can watch the recorded talk on the ERGA YouTube channel. Events Genome Annotation Workshop 2026 (Earlham Institute) 28 - 30 April, 2026 | Online MCEB 2026 Mathematical and Computational Evolutionary Biology 4-8 May - Heraklion, Crete European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB) 2026 6-10 July - Leiden, The Netherlands European Conference on Computational Biology (ECCB 2026) 31 August - 3 September | Geneva, Switzerland 2nd Molluscan Genomics Workshop 30 August - 3 September | Frankfurt, Germany Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) Conference 2026 21-25 September | Oslo, Norway / Hybrid BioHackathon 2026 9-13 November | Barcelona, Spain Featured conferences with sessions organized by ERGA members: Are you attending events or organizing sessions/workshops not listed here? Let us know here , we can help you reach more attendees from the biodiversity genomics community! From the #ERGABlog Wings, Bees, and Barcodes: Citizen Scientists Support Pollinator Genomics in Cyprus ERGA Social Justice Positioning Statement From Peaks to Parks: Citizen Scientists Join Bulgaria’s Genomic Quest for Biodiversity Useful links HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE? Click and Submit to ERGANews! Click her e to become an ERGA Member Public EVENTS calendar here  - add this to your Calendar or iCalendar! 💬 Follow us on social media! BlueSky LinkedIn YouTube

Executive Board Council of Countries Committees Our Partners Pilot Project Former Contributors top OUR COMMUNITY ERGA is an bottom-up initiative based on people, consisting of hundreds of scientists across the entire European continent and beyond. Research institutions, infrastructure facilities as well as partner genome projects will play an important role within ERGA. Finally, ERGA will have a focus on societal needs particularly related to Biodiversity conservation. For that purpose, ERGA will work engaging governmental and non-governmental entities and will closely involve citizens in different actions. Executive Board Executive Board executive-board@erga-biodiversity.eu Robert Waterhouse Chair Ann Mc Cartney Vice Chair Olga Vinnere Pettersson Vice Chair Tyler Alioto Scientific Officer Kay Lucek Partnership Officer Stefaniya Kamenova Dissemination Officer Lada Lukić Bilela Social Integration Officer Camila Mazzoni Funding Opportunities Officer Jaakko Pohjoismäki Genomic Outreach Officer List of Former Executive Board Members > Council of Country Representatives Contact the national representatives for more information on the ERGA community in your country! Andorra Andorra@erga-biodiversity.eu Manel Niell List of Former Council Members > Council of Countries Committees SSP - Sampling & Sample Processing samples@erga-biodiversity.eu More > DAC - Data Analysis Committee analysis@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Media & Communications media@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Social Justice Committee socialjustice@erga-biodiversity.eu More > SAC - Sequencing and Assembly Committee assembly@erga-biodiversity.eu More > ITIC - IT & Infrastructure Committee itinfra@erga-biodiversity.eu More > CS - Citizen Science citizenscience@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Annotation Committee annotation@erga-biodiversity.eu More > ELSI - Ethical, Legal, and Social Issues elsi@erga-biodiversity.eu More > TKT - Training and Knowledge Transfer training@erga-biodiversity.eu More > Committees Our Partners Our Partners ERGA is the pan-European partner of the Earth Biogenome Project (EBP) Affiliated Initiatives Associated Partners Pilot Project Pilot Project Committee Coordinators pilot@erga-biodiversity.eu Giulio Formenti Alice Mouton Ann Mc Cartney Learn more about the Pilot Project Former Contributors SSP - Sampling & Sample Processing Committee Filter by Type Astrid Böhne (Former Committee Chair) Former Contributors

The European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) initiative is a pan-European scientific response to current threats to biodiversity. Reference genomes provide the most complete insight into the genetic basis that forms each species and represent a powerful resource in understanding how biodiversity functions. With approxima HOME A GENOME ATLAS OF EUROPEAN BIODIVERSITY The European Reference Genome Atlas (ERGA) initiative is a pan-European scientific response to current threats to biodiversity. Reference genomes provide the most complete insight into the genetic basis that forms each species and represent a powerful resource in understanding how biodiversity functions. With approximately one fifth of the ~200,000 European species at risk of extinction, we need to act fast and together to generate high-quality complete genome resources in large scale. Science needs genomes to understand biodiversity, biodiversity needs to be understood to be protected. HIGHLIGHTS Sampling for genomics studies across the tree of life Uncovering the evolution of Mediterranean soft corals with genomics Welcome to the new members of the ERGA Executive Board! EVENTS Sampling for genomics studies across the tree of life Join the Taxon Sampling SOP Hackathon! Biodiversity Reference Genomes at ENA and the ERGA Data Portal Open to Collaborate ERGA is committed to the development of new modes of collaboration, engagement, and partnership with Indigenous peoples for the care and stewardship of past and future heritage collections. Calls OUR MISSION 1/3 1/3 1/3 1/3 WHAT WE DO Establishing high-quality reference genomes requires an interdisciplinary workflow From species to genomes … and beyond. From species selection to data analysis, the process of creating reference genomes for the entire biodiversity will involve a deep synergy among museums, research institutes, universities, sequencing centres, bioinformatics and computational groups. Citizens will also play an important role supporting the inclusion of all types of species. WHAT WE AIM FOR Creating and consolidating a collaborative and interdisciplinary network of scientists across Europe and associated countries Connecting relevant infrastructure across Europe following a distributed model that can dynamically increase Propagating guidelines for state-of-the-art genome establishment through training and knowledge transfer Next La comunidad ERGA tiene como objetivo optimizar la producción de genomas de referencia mediante el desarrollo y el intercambio de protocolos y flujos de trabajo, brindando acceso a recursos y apoyando el desarrollo de capacidades a través de la transferencia de conocimientos - para mejorar y ampliar el uso de datos genómicos para la protección y restauración de la biodiversidad Next OUR PROJECTS ERGA Pilot The Pilot Project was launched to demonstrate the feasibility of continent-wide collaboration. It was established, funded, and driven entirely by its members. Read more >> Biodiversity Genomics Europe ERGA has recently been funded as part of the Biodiversity Genomics Europe project through the European Union's Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Action. Read more ERGA Community Genomes Are you planning or developing a reference genome project of a European species? Join the growing family of ERGA Community G enomes! Read mo re “Species conservation is urgent and demands deep knowledge of the genetic features of their populations. A coordinated effort to generate complete reference genomes for all European biodiversity, such as what we are proposing with ERGA, can give us the whole picture about the adaptive differences and extent of a need for genetic rescue among populations and species.” Dr. Camila Mazzoni, Founding Chair, ERGA. Research Group Leader Leibniz Institute for Zoo and Wildlife Research Berlin, Germany

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