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2026 will be a year full of exciting events and conferences for the Biodiversity Genomics community in Europe! These offer great opportunities to meet and network with fellow ERGA members. Below is a list of key events taking place this year that may be of interest to our community. Planning to attend or organizing an event? Let us know, and we’ll keep in touch to help you connect with other ERGA members. We can also help advertise your session, talk, or event! World Biodiversity Forum 14-19 June 2026 - Davos, Switzerland ERGA related workshops: [workshop] Genome(ics)‑enabled indicators for biodiversity targets Sunday, June 14th Sign-up needed: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/WBF2026/session/55615 [workshop] Beyond the Usual Suspects: Rethinking Species Selection for the CBD GBF [workshop] Implementing and achieving the GBF goals and targets for genetic diversity Early Bird Deadline: 24.3.2026 Biodiversity Bioinformatics Summer School 21 - 26 June - Siegen, Germany Application deadline: 16 March 2026 SMBE 2026 Meeting of the Society for Molecular Biology & Evolution   28 June - 2 July | Copenhagen, Denmark ERGA related Symposia: Evolutionary-informed management of vulnerable populations in a rapidly changing world Molecular Evolution in the Era of Genetic Diversity Decline New frontiers in sex evolution: evolutionary patterns and innovations The evolution of recombination landscapes From genomic graphs to evolutionary insights: standardising pangenomes for population inference Early Bird Deadline: 31.3.2026 European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB) 2026 6-10 July |  Leiden, The Netherlands ERGA related sessions: Workshop: Genomics-based Essential Biodiversity Variables for European biodiversity monitoring Round table: Stakeholders' voices on biodiversity genomics: Round Table: Local voices on genomics Symposium: Conservation genomics-based decisions in a changing Europe Early Bird Deadline: 30.4.2026 Abstract submissions until February 15! Evoluzione - Congress of the Italian Society for Evolutionary Biology 6-10 July |  Florence, Italy Early Bird Deadline: 15.06.2026 Abstract submissions until May 17!

A positioning statement from the ERGA Social Justice Committee regarding current events and recent political developments. Public Domain, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=915039 In November 2024, after an ERGA Council vote, the Social Justice Subcommittee became an independent committee. We are grateful for this decision. It shows that the European Reference Genome Atlas is serious about excellent science: one that is stronger when everyone can participate and succeed. As a newly formed committee, we want to honour this trust through clear goals and concrete actions. Our purpose is to recognise the many identities and lived experiences within ERGA, and in the communities we work with and live in. We want to ensure this diversity can fully join and shape ERGA’s scientific work. We know some colleagues may wonder whether our mission is too ambitious or too complicated. We understand these concerns. Real change takes time, steady action, and caring for others. Many people feel tired or unsure of past and present challenges. We are aware that an ideal academic environment does not exist today, but we wish to work towards full inclusion. Bias, exclusion, and unhealthy workplaces have not disappeared. Yet, we believe we can improve things, step by step, and that this effort is worthwhile. Social justice is everyone's daily experience. In recent years, some debates have become more divisive and polarised. We invite people with many viewpoints to engage with us. We hear from those who have worked on social justice before and felt that progress was slow or unnoticed. Our committee will focus on practical actions that will make genomics research across Europe more fair, open, and inclusive. We work across many aspects of diversity, including ethnicity, gender, social class, language, orientation, religion, neurodiversity, and disability. By taking an intersectional approach and taking action together, we aim to show that progress is possible. We also aim to show that shared success lifts us all. There is real work ahead, and it will not always be easy. We do not ignore this reality. We recognise the ERGA Council's courage in making our work more visible. Efforts toward equality, equity, diversity, and inclusion bring clear benefits. It improves our relationships with our partners’ communities. It strengthens trust and collaboration among colleagues. It creates safer and healthier workplaces. Most of all, it leads to better science. These are goals worth pursuing, and we are committed to turning them into actions. Authors: James F. Fleming, Fabrizio Ghiselli, Jennifer Leonard, Rebekah Oomen, Lada Lukic Bilela, Chiara Bortoluzzi, Christian de Guttry.

Join us for this month’s ERGA Plenary meeting ! On Monday, February 16, at 15:00 CET , Cibele Sotero-Caio, curator of the Genomes on a Tree ( GoaT ) database, will present an update on this important repository of genome-relevant metadata, including recent developments and efforts to address feedback from its growing user community. Abstract Genomes on a Tree ( GoaT ) is a searchable datastore of genome-relevant metadata for eukaryotic species based on aggregated information on completed sequencing efforts (e.g. assembly metrics) and metadata dispersed across specialised databases (e.g. karyotype, genome size, country lists, etc.). GoaT collates information on sequencing intent and progress across more than 40 Earth BioGenome Project affiliates, including several initiatives under the ERGA umbrella (e.g. ATLASea, DToL, ERGA-Pilot, ERGA-BGE, Yggdrasil). GoaT generates summary values at species level by collating all existing observations for a taxon. At higher taxonomic ranks, summaries are inferred from aggregation of observed values across descendant taxa. When species-level data are unavailable, GoaT estimates values based on observations from related taxa sharing a common ancestor. On the GoaT web site, estimated values are visualised through colour-coded, thermometer-style icons, allowing users to identify interpolated data and evaluate the suitability of any estimates for their particular use case according to how far up the phylogenetic tree the underlying estimates originate. These inferred values have proven valuable for production genomics, helping to guide the allocation of sequencing resources, as well as informing expectations about genomic features in poorly characterised taxa. As the GoaT user base continues to expand, the flexible design of the resource does not always align with the expectations or needs of all user groups, particularly non-specialist users. To address this, the GoaT team collaborated with the ERGA communications team to design and disseminate a user survey aimed at: (1) characterising the GoaT user base among ERGA members, (2) identifying key challenges faced by users, and (3) collecting feedback to improve usability and user experience. Survey insights informed the development of a targeted strategy to address identified issues, clarify common misunderstandings, and produce tutorials and support materials. In this talk, I will present the actions taken in response to ERGA community feedback, outline current plans, and demonstrate how users can engage with the GoaT team to contribute and request content as we work to maximise the usability of the resource. Speaker Cibele Sotero-Caio is based at the Wellcome Sanger Institute as part of the Tree of Life Programme, where she works as the curator of the Genomes on a Tree (GoaT) database. She collaborates with the Earth BioGenome Project and other stakeholders to ensure that GoaT metadata can be used to report genome sequencing progress, support large-scale genome production, and assist with prioritisation while preventing duplication of effort across existing sequencing initiatives. 🔔 To receive the Zoom link and join this and our upcoming plenary meetings, register as an ERGA member . ▶️ You can watch all previous ERGA Plenary talks here . If you would like to suggest a speaker or topic for a future plenary session, please contact us at training@erga-biodiversity.eu . Your input is very welcome!

News New Publication! From Permits to Samples: Addressing Key Challenges for High-Quality Reference Genome Generation in Europe Led by the Sampling & Sample Processing Comittee , the article titled “From Permits to Samples: Addressing Key Challenges for High-Quality Reference Genome Generation in Europe " was published last week in Molecular Ecology Resources. This publication draws on the practical experiences of the ERGA community. Congratulations to all the authors! Help choose the new ERGA Logo! ERGA is working with a communications company ( https://www.musicanti.eu/en/ ) to develop a new visual identity and website. A key part of this process is selecting a new logo. Because this is such an important decision, members of the ERGA community have been invited to express their preferences on the design of the new logo . All registered ERGA members received an email with a survey link to vote on Tuesday, January 27th (please check your spam folder and contact media@erga-biodiversity.eu if you did not receive the link). The form will remain open until February 3rd, so don’t forget to cast your vote before the deadline! BG Connects policy roundtable: Report now available Photo: BGE The final act of the BG Connects event, last October, convened a group of key policymakers, researchers, and civil society actors to explore how biodiversity genomics can support Europe’s response to biodiversity loss, drive innovation and contribute to the goals of the EU Biodiversity Strategy 2030 and the European Green Deal. The roundtable, titled “Biodiversity innovation: Enabling technology for nature and green growth” , counted on the presence of Costas Kadis, European Commissioner for Fisheries and Oceans. Become an ATLASea Species Ambassador! The ATLASea project is actively seeking input from the community for species to sequence. These have to be sampled in a marine/brackish/estuary environment, and be documented in the French EEZ (but can be sampled outside the French EEZ). If you have one or several such a species in mind for a scientific or applied project, or even would like to discuss a larger project encompassing a taxonomic group or specific geographic location, you can get in touch via the ATLASea Ambassador scheme:  https://www.atlasea.fr/en/species-ambassadors/ 🐐 GoaT Update Check below some useful tips to transform the way you work with the Genomes on a Tree ( GoaT ) Portal: Images by Anna Bramucci 🔔 Save the date! The next ERGA Plenary (Monday, February 16th at 15:00 CET) will feature a presentation by Dr Cibele Sotero-Caio, genomic data curator for the Genomes on a Tree (GoaT) databasing tool. Cibele will present the solutions found to address the feedback provided by the ERGA community and their strategies to increase transparancy and access to information. Events 2025 i5k Annual Meeting 4 February | Online Genome Annotation Workshop 2026 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 2026 | Geneva, Switzerland Biodiversity Information Standards (TDWG) Conference 2026 21-25 September | Oslo, Norway / Hybrid Featured conferences with sessions organized by ERGA members: Are you attending events or organizing sessions/workshops not listed here? Let us know—we can help you reach more attendees from the biodiversity genomics community! World Biodiversity Forum 14-19 June | Davos, Switzerland Workshop: Genome(ics)‑enabled indicators for biodiversity targets Website says Invitation Only - but please just reach out for an invitation! Early Bird: 24.3.2026 Annual Meeting of the Society for Molecular Biology & Evolution  SMBE 2026  28 June - 2 July | Copenhagen, Denmark Evolutionary-informed management of vulnerable populations in a rapidly changing world Molecular Evolution in the Era of Genetic Diversity Decline New frontiers in sex evolution: evolutionary patterns and innovations The evolution of recombination landscapes From genomic graphs to evolutionary insights: standardising pangenomes for population inference Early Bird: 31.3.2026 European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB) 2026 6-10 July | Leiden, The Netherlands Workshop: Genomics-based Essential Biodiversity Variables for European biodiversity monitoring Round table: Stakeholders' voices on biodiversity genomics: Round Table: Local voices on genomics Symposium: Conservation genomics-based decisions in a changing Europe Early Bird: 30.4.2026 From the #ERGABlog ATLASea: progress on sequencing marine biodiversity ERGA 2025: Community Highlights 🎧 Genomic Connections # 7 - Bringing data to life: Biodiversity genomics applications 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

Join us for the first ERGA Plenary meeting of 2026! On Monday, January 19, at 15:00 CET , Hugues Roest Crollius will present an update on the progress of the ATLASea program , which aims to unlock the potential of marine biodiversity genomes for fundamental research and applications. Abstract The ATLASea program (https://www.atlasea.fr) aims to unlock the potential of marine biodiversity genomes for fundamental research and applications. Funded by the French government for eight years, ATLASea conducts large-scale sampling across the French Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) to collect eukaryotic marine specimens and produce 4,500 high-quality reference genomes. All data and resources are made publicly available to the scientific community. In its first two years, ATLASea has established standardized sampling and sequencing protocols, developed a dedicated informatics infrastructure, and built international partnerships within the Ocean Decade, the Earth BioGenome Project, and the European Reference Genome Atlas. Sampling campaigns along the French metropolitan coasts and in overseas territories (Pacific Ocean and Caribbean Sea) have yielded over 2,300 species, with more than 200 genomes already sequenced from diverse marine taxa. Preliminary results will be presented, revealing remarkable variations of genome properties and highlighting novel co-biontic associations when multiple organismal genomes are recovered from shared DNA extracts. Speaker Hugues Roest Crollius is a CNRS researcher leading a group at the IBENS in Paris on comparative genomics, particularly in vertebrates. He also co-leads the ATLASea programme, to sequence the genomes of several thousands marine species in the French EEZ. 🔔 To receive the Zoom link and join this and our upcoming plenary meetings, register as an ERGA member . ▶️ You can watch all previous ERGA Plenary talks here . If you would like to suggest a speaker or topic for a future plenary session, please contact us at training@erga-biodiversity.eu . We welcome your input!

29–31 October 2025 Summary 🗓️ Dates:  29 - 31 October 2025 ( click to add to your agenda! ) 🔗 Online venue: ERGA YouTube Channel Conference programme We are excited to announce the Genomics for Biodiversity Conference  organised by ERGA-BGE, which will be held on October 29 - 31 and transmitted live through the ERGA YouTube channel . Participation is free of charge. All sessions were recorded and are available in our Channel : The event aims to bring together researchers and other stakeholders interested in applied biodiversity genomics and will showcase how it can have an impact on real-world issues, focusing primarily on biodiversity conservation and the bioeconomy.   Programme Through two and a half days, the conference will include: Keynote talks  - addressing the links between biodiversity genomics, policy, and society. Check the list of keynote speakers below: Christina Hvilsom: Genomes in action for conservation Since 2008, I have build and led the genetic research profile and lab of Copenhagen Zoo managing a highly skilled and dedicated team focused on conservation genetics and population genomics. Over the years, I’ve built robust in-house expertise and international collaborations that advance science-based solutions for managing endangered species—both in the wild and in human care. My work combines genomic analyses with strategic conservation planning, supporting efforts from species recovery programs to global biodiversity policy. I’m proud to supervise students and researchers, foster interdisciplinary research, and contribute to high-impact networks and initiatives worldwide. As founder and chair of the EAZA Biobank, I help develop genetic resource infrastructures for over 450 zoos and aquaria. I also advise on population management through the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria (EAZA), support and build resources for global biodiversity efforts and strategies via the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), and coordinate the EU Biodiversa+ GINAMO project—working to integrate genetic indicators into EU and global biodiversity frameworks of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD). Passionate about uniting science, management, and policy, I actively contribute to initiatives like the EU COST Action Networks GENOA and G-BiKE, Coalition for Conservation Genetics and the IUCN SSC Conservation Genetics Specialist Group, ensuring genetic diversity has a voice in global conservation efforts. Alessio Iannucci: Integrating reference genomes and cytogenomics to support the design of wildlife management and conservation programs Dr. Alessio Iannucci, currently a research fellow at the University of Florence, studies the evolution and population dynamics of terrestrial vertebrate species using advanced genomic technologies. His PhD research focused on the Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis), for which he produced the first reference genome. His research includes the combination of classical cytogenetic methods with next-generation sequencing technologies. Pier Luigi Buttigieg: Omics in global data ecosystems: Forming a digital niche to scale the impact and use of reference genomes I'm a senior data scientist, digital architect, and strategist. My thematic foci are in ocean and biodiversity data (especially microbiome and biomolecular data), as well as their societal links. I contribute to the steering, strategy, and operations of multiple regional and international research data infrastructures and Actions within and related to the UN Decade of Ocean Science for Sustainable Development, including those addressing globally federated digital exchange and digital twinning. I also chair the Ocean Data and Information System Project of the Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (IOC) of UNESCO. My additional focal areas include digital strategy and architecture development, interoperability approaches, semantic harmonisation, knowledge representation, and high-dimensional data analysis. Alexandra A.-T. Weber : Genomics of sex determination in invasive quagga and zebra mussels: progress towards potential genetic biocontrol I am an evolutionary ecologist interested in understanding the molecular mechanisms generating and maintaining biodiversity in aquatic ecosystems. I use a wide range of -omics data (e.g. genomics, epigenomics, transcriptomics) from the field and experiments to uncover how organisms adapt to different environmental conditions, and ultimately infer their vulnerability and resilience in the face of rapid environmental changes. I mainly focus on native (e.g. Unionids) and invasive (e.g. quagga and zebra mussels; Asian clam) freshwater bivalve species in Switzerland to conduct my current research, but I also have collaborative projects on other aquatic invertebrates from various habitats (e.g. marine limpets; freshwater crustaceans). 29 Genomic for biodiversity projects presentations  - they will showcase the applied use of biodiversity genomics across Europe and a diverse set of eukaryotic species.  Click here to learn more about the projects. 3 sessions focusing on genomics applied to biodiversity conservation and standardisation. ERGA-BGE Case Studies The Biodiversity Genomics Europe Project and ERGA have supported 29 research projects that demonstrate the applications of genomic data to improve our understanding of biodiversity. In this conference, research project participants will have a chance to come together, share scientific results, and exchange experiences. Learn more about the projects in the interactive map below: Parallel sessions On Friday, 31 October 2025 at 12:30 CET three parallel breakout sessions on Conservation Genomics and Genomic Data Standardisation , will run concurrently. Each session will include selected flash talks on genomics‑driven study that fits one of the three themes and can be communicated clearly within a timed and visually engaging five‑minute presentation. The Biodiversity Genomics Europe ( BGE ) Project is funded by the European Union's Horizon Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Framework Programme Additional support:

The ERGA Plenary Meetings are the main monthly gatherings of our community, when announcements are made and discussions and debates are conducted on topic-oriented presentations. The plenaries happen on the third Monday of each month at 15:00 CET. To receive our regular emails with the links to join the meetings you simply need to register as an ERGA member . The meetings always include updates by the ERGA committees and at least one presentation on various topics related to the genome generation workflow. Check the playlist to watch previous plenary talks: 📅 Check the #ERGACalendar to stay up-to-date with all events and meetings

News ERGA 2025: Community Highlights The last ERGA Plenary  of 2025 was an opportunity to look back on a year of progress across our committees, reflecting the strength, diversity, and collaborative spirit of Europe’s biodiversity genomics community. From technical advances to community building, policy development, and social justice, each committee contributed key pieces to ERGA’s shared mission. Click here for an overview of main achievements and ongoing priorities from each of ERGA’s committees. Welcome to the new members of the ERGA Executive Board Tyler Alioto, Kay Lucek, and Stefaniya Kamenova have been elected as ERGA’s new Scientific, Partnership, and Dissemination Officers. We warmly thank outgoing officers Rosa Fernández, Elena Bužan, and Chiara Bortoluzzi for their invaluable contributions! 🐐 GoaT Update Need assistance using the Genomes on a Tree (GoaT) Portal? Here are some useful links! Where can users find Help ? GoaT page help  tabs  Github goat-data wiki Youtube goat channel Where can users ask for help? GoaT page help/contact   Github issues Where to follow progress? Github projects Github issues Events Genome Annotation Workshop 2026 28 - 30 April, 2026 | Online MCEB 2026 Mathematical and Computational Evolutionary Biology 4-8 May - Heraklion, Crete Annual Meeting of the Society for Molecular Biology & Evolution  SMBE 2026  28 June - 2 July | Copenhagen, Denmark World Biodiversity Forum 14-19 June - Davos, Switzerland European Congress of Conservation Biology (ECCB) 2026 6-10 July - Leiden, The Netherlands European Conference on Computational Biology (ECCB 2026) 31 August - 3 September 2026 | Geneva, Switzerland From the #ERGABlog Sampling for genomics studies across the tree of life 🎧 Genomic Connections # 7 - Bringing data to life: Biodiversity genomics applications Uncovering the evolution of Mediterranean soft corals with genomics 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

To celebrate the many great achievements of our community this year, we present a showcase of 2025 highlights from across ERGA. The last ERGA Plenary of 2025 was an opportunity to look back on a year of progress across our committees, reflecting the strength, diversity, and collaborative spirit of Europe’s biodiversity genomics community. From technical advances to community building, policy development, and social justice, each committee contributed key pieces to ERGA’s shared mission. Below, we highlight some of the main achievements and ongoing priorities from each of ERGA’s committees . Missed it? Watch the recording of the December Plenary Meeting. Executive Board 2025 marked a milestone year for the ERGA Executive Board : ERGA was formally recognized as the European Regional Node of the Earth BioGenome Project ( EBP ). The first two ERGA national nodes, ERGA Slovenia and ERGA Switzerland, received official recognition. 2025 was the first year in which ERGA operated with a complete Executive Board of nine members as set out in the Governance Document   Sampling & Sample Processing (SSP) Committee The SSP Committee  continued to lead ERGA’s efforts on best practices for sampling. Organized the first very successful Taxon Sampling SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) “Hackathon” , bringing together experts across the tree of life. Advanced several manuscripts, with one currently under revision and others in preparation. Prepared the first set of taxon-specific sampling SOPs, scheduled for publication in early 2026. Sequencing & Assembly Committee (SAC) The lively SAC  focused on coordination of sequencing efforts, troubleshooting, and future-facing sequencing strategies. Facilitated community discussions on long-read sequencing approaches and assembly best practices. Contributed feedback to the EBP on assembly recommendations  and engaged with the Tree of Life Genome Forum. Began planning a BioHackathon Europe proposal for 2026 to support hands-on community problem-solving. Annotation Committee Supporting high-quality, standardized genome annotations remained a core focus of the Annotation Committee. Ongoing development of an annotation reporting tool aligned with ERGA reporting standards, initiated during the BioHackathon Europe 2025. Began preparations for a the Annotation Training School next year (if you are interested in this initiative, please reach out: annotation@erga-biodiversity.eu ) Data Analysis Committee The Data Analysis Committee ( DAC ) supported harmonized downstream use of ERGA genomes. Continued of the successful ERGA BioGenome Analysis & Application Seminar  Series with 5 interesting talks and thousands of views.  Participated in this year’s BioHackathon Europe  working on a Snakemake workflow to build phylogenomic trees from BUSCO genes. Established the Essential Biodiversity Variables (EBVs) - Working Group  which has been meeting and progressing regularly. IT & Infrastructure Committee Ensuring robust data management and provenance tracking is the central mission of the ITIC . Developed several data provenance and management guidelines, covering the full lifecycle from sampling to publication. (Check the guidelines in our Zenodo community page ) Strengthened collaboration with external portals and repositories such as ENA  and GoaT  to align standards and metadata. Ethics, Legal & Social Issues (ELSI) Committee The ELSI  Committee focuses on critical policy and governance work. Released an information brief and the ERGA position on Digital Sequence Information . Progressed a manuscript on non-monetary benefit sharing in biodiversity genomics. Initiated revisions to ERGA’s privacy policy to reflect evolving data practices. Media & Communications Committee The Media & Communications Committee  strengthened ERGA’s visibility and outreach. Expanded ERGA’s website , newsletter , and social media presence , reaching new audiences. Supported outreach activities around major events and conferences, such as ESEB2025  and the Genomics for Biodiversity Conference . Began work with a design company on a new ERGA visual identity, planned for release in 2026. Citizen Science Committee The Citizen Science Committee 's main focus is stakeholder engagement: Published the review article “ Biodiversity Genomics Research Practices Require Harmonising to Meet Stakeholder Needs in Conservation ” as part of a Molecular Ecology Special Issue. Conducted a stakeholder engagement survey, with a manuscript planned for publication in 2026. Started working on a “biodiversity genomics alphabet” to support public-facing communication. Training & Knowledge Transfer Committee The Training & Knowledge Transfer ( TKT ) Committee committee focused on capacity building and resource sharing. Expanded the ERGA Knowledge Hub  with more training materials and a new section for events. Played a key role in the organization of the EMBO course in genome sequencing, assembly, curation, and downstream analyses. knowledge.erga-biodiversity.eu Social Justice Committee Embedding equity and ethics into ERGA’s structures is the central goal of the Social Justice Committee . Advanced a social justice positioning statement for ERGA. Started work on a social justice teaching module, to be integrated into the Knowledge Hub  in 2026. Looking Ahead Together, these updates reflect a community that is not only producing genomes, but also building the infrastructure, standards, policies, and inclusive culture needed to sustain biodiversity genomics in Europe for the long term. As ERGA moves into 2026, the continued collaboration across committees will remain key to turning shared vision into lasting impact. We thank each and every ERGA member for their commitment and contributions. A special thanks to our dedicated committee members who generously gave their time to support the community. It is inspiring to see ERGA continue to grow, and we look forward to fostering even more exciting interactions and collaborations in the future. See you in 2026!

About the hotspot  Georgia is situated in the heart of the Caucasus, where wetlands, lakes, forests, and rocky slopes support numerous endemic and threatened species. Climate change is already reshaping these ecosystems, making locally grounded monitoring and conservation urgent. Yet Georgia remains a genomic blind spot: many species on the national IUCN Red List still lack DNA barcodes and reference genomes, limiting evidence-based management and adaptation planning. Did you know? Georgia lies within the Greater Black Sea ecoregion (a WWF “priority place”) and overlaps two global biodiversity hotspots recognised by Conservation International: the Caucasus and Iran–Anatolian hotspots. About the activity In June 2024, the GEORBLITZ team ran two citizen-science BioBlitzes to kick-start biodiversity recording and genomics awareness: Lisi Lake (Tbilisi, 8 June) and the Kutaisi Botanical Garden (14 June). Local community members teamed up with experts and students from Ilia State University (ISU) for hands-on sessions. Participants practiced standard field methods, net sweeping, foliage beating, hand collection, and worked in three taxon-focused groups (Diptera, Coleoptera, and Amphibia/Reptilia). Specimens were labelled in ethanol for observation, with material set aside for future genetic analyses. They were examined under microscopes under guidance from specialists. On-site educational stands with preserved and live specimens sparked conversations about how DNA barcodes and reference genomes inform species assessment, conservation, and restoration. Photo Gallery: Some of the species spotted during the GEORBLITZ activities. Field observations spanned reptiles (e.g., dice snake, spur-thighed tortoise), amphibians (marsh frog, green toad), arthropods (house centipede, Alpiscorpius  scorpions), birds (from reed warblers and swifts to orioles and jays), and even mammals (Caucasian squirrel), underscoring the conservation value of urban-adjacent green spaces. The initiative also reached a wider audience through Georgian national TV, which reported live from the Lisi Lake event. Explore observations / contribute: Lisi Lake iNaturalist project:   https://inaturalist.ca/projects/bioblitz-lisi-lake-2024 Kutaisi Botanical Garden iNaturalist project:  https://www.inaturalist.org/projects/bioblitz-kutaisi-botanic-garden-2024 Media: Live TV report (Lisi Lake):   https://www.facebook.com/share/v/TVwW31FwVNcjS71R/?mibextid=SphRi8 Photo credits:  School of Natural Sciences and Medicine, Ilia State University; Giorgi Iankoshvili. This initiative was funded through Biodiversity Genomics Europe ( BGE ), a project funded by the European Union's Horizon Food, Bioeconomy Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Framework Programme:

In this month’s episode of Genomic Connections , Kasia and Christian chat with Brent Emerson and José Melo-Ferreira about the many applications of genomic data and how their work brings genomic data into action to solve real-world problems.  Brent Emerson  leads the Research Group on Ecology and Evolution on Islands, an initiative within the Institute of Natural Products and Agrobiology and the Spanish National Research Council in Tenerife ( IPNA CSIC ). His team uses genetic and genomic tools to understand what structures diversity. The community led by Brent focuses on the use of DNA barcodes to characterise species assemblages at scale and the genetic connectivity among species across different ecosystems. José Melo-Ferreira  is the Leader of the Genomics of Evolutionary Change research group at CIBIO-BIOPOLIS , based at CIBIO-InBIO, the Research Centre on Biodiversity and Genetic Resources of Portugal, where he is also an Assistant Professor at the University of Porto. His team uses genomic tools to understand fundamental evolutionary processes in different species. José is particularly interested in using genomics for the conservation and management of biodiversity and to understand the impact of anthropogenic change on the adaptive potential of species. 🎧 You can listen to Genomic Connections on Spotify and PocketCast . You can listen to Genomic Connections on Spotify  and PocketCast . Check out this recent Connections post in which we further discuss the applications of biodiversity genomics. 🔔 Follow the Genomic Connections Podcast on Spotify to make sure you never miss an episode! https://open.spotify.com/show/01aF7AUVF0PvydbxZADTvN?si=PFC5G62gRtCE2D14esbWnQ Do you have any suggestions about how we can improve the podcast or biodiversity genomic-related topics you would like us to cover? Send us a message! media@erga-biodiversity.eu

Last Friday, December 5th, the ERGA Sampling & Sample Processing Committee  hosted its very first Taxon Sampling SOP (Standard Operating Procedure) “Hackathon”. Following an open invitation to the entire ERGA community, more than 80 people registered to join the event. Participants split into subgroups according to their taxonomic expertise and worked together to advance taxon-specific instructions to sample biological material for genome sequencing. ERGA’s Sampling SOPs include guidelines for the collection, documentation, vouchering, preservation, and shipping of samples for genomic research. SOPs for 17 different taxa across the tree of life are currently being developed, many of which were initiated during the Hackathon: Fungi Bryophytes Woody plants Herbaceous plants Aquatic plants  Microalgae from cultures Salmonids Freshwater fish Amphibians Carnivorous mammals Lepidoptera Coleoptera Diptera Terrestrial arthropods Ectoparasites — mites, fleas, lice Porifera Terrestrial invertebrates Would you like to join one of the SOP working groups or start a new group for a taxonomic group not yet covered? Get in touch with the SSP Committee via samples@erga-biodiversity.eu ! The development of these SOPs is greatly facilitated by the ERGA SSP Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) Template, which has been carefully developed by the committee over the past months. This template offers a standardized structure for the SOPs, provides important background information, and outlines the key sections each document should include. The groups will continue their collaborative work, and all new SOPs will be made available early next year in an open-access repository. We would like to thank everyone who joined the Hackathon, and especially the SSP team, for organizing this very productive event!