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Triplefin blenny in the Adriatic Sea ©Sandra Bracun This BGE case study, led by the Svardal Lab at the University of Antwerp, builds upon two recently sequenced chromosome-level reference genomes from the ERGA pilot project. The project involves multiple European research institutions, including the Marine Biology Station Piran, the University of Graz, and the Natural History Museum Rijeka. It focuses on the widespread Triplefin Blenny ( Tripterygion tripteronotum ) and the vulnerable brackish-to-freshwater Adriatic Dwarf Goby ( Knipowitschia panizzae ). While high-quality genomes for both species have been sequenced, RNA sequencing is the next crucial step to complete the genomic work and support conservation efforts. Triplefin blenny - Photos by Sandra Bracun. The Triplefin Blenny ( Tripterygion tripteronotum ) is an ideal model for speciation studies due to its isolation by Adriatic Sea currents and its role in research on vision-related behavior for predator avoidance. In contrast, the Adriatic Dwarf Goby ( Knipowitschia panizza e) and its relatives face significant conservation challenges due to taxonomic uncertainties, habitat loss, and climate change. Whole-genome re-sequencing, leveraging high-resolution genomic resources, will clarify taxonomy and population distribution, providing essential data for conservation.  Sampling the Adriatic Dwarf Goby in the estuaries of Koper, Slovenia. ©Maximilian Wagner As we gather more information, understanding the genomic basis of adaptation is essential for comparing and elucidating biodiversity patterns. By sequencing the transcriptomes of both species, we will not only complete the genomic dataset but also provide unprecedented insights into the genomic pathways that drive and sustain biodiversity in these species. This project also highlights the ERGA community’s expertise in high-quality genome production. We extend our gratitude to those involved, including Dr. Marcelo Kovacic, Dr. Domen Trkov, Dr. Maximilian Wagner, and Henrique Leitão. About the Authors At the Svardal lab  we investigate the development and changes in Earth's natural diversity through genome sequencing and mathematical modeling. By studying genomic variations, we gain essential insights into evolutionary history, population connections, demographic patterns, and adaptations.

https://tridubire.github.io In 2023 a high-quality reference genome for the clover Trifolium dubium  was generated as part of the ERGA Pilot Project . This was significant not only for its scientific value but also for its cultural importance, as T. dubium , or the lesser trefoil, is broadly accepted as being the shamrock - a well-loved national symbol of Ireland. At University College Dublin (UCD) we have been using this genome to investigate the evolutionary history of this culturally important species and to place it in the broader evolutionary context of the Trifolium  genus. Trifolium  includes a number of agriculturally significant species, namely white clover ( T. repens ) and red clover ( T. pratense ), which are commonly used as forage crops due to their high-protein content and nitrogen-fixing capabilities, both reducing the need for synthetic fertilisers and improving soil health. T. dubium is noted for its production of condensed tannins, that reduce bloat in dairy cattle, and its frost tolerance, potentially offering benefits over white and red clover during the Irish winter. Understanding the genetics underlying these beneficial traits in T. dubium  has applications in informing breeding programs to improve other clover cultivars. T. dubium, with its distinctive yellow flower and trifoliate leaves, mythologised to have been used by St. Patrick to explain the Holy Trinity. Photos by Katie Herron. This study has now expanded to include a population genomics study of T. dubium , as part of BGE’s “Enhancing Biodiversity Genomics Applications” program. We plan on using pooled sequencing (pool-seq) to assess the genetic variation within and between populations of T. dubium across Ireland, sampling from both mainland Ireland as well as outlying islands. We aim to explore the species’ adaptive potential, gene flow and demographic history. By providing a genetic baseline for T. dubium  in Ireland, the project will support the tracking of changes in genetic diversity over time, the identification of potential threats from environmental changes, and ultimately guide conservation strategies to preserve this culturally significant species. A key component of our project is our outreach and educational efforts through which we hope to elevate the profile of biodiversity genomics in Ireland. By involving schools, we aim to engage students in real scientific research, promoting STEM education and fostering a deeper appreciation for biodiversity at local level. Field sampling of T. dubium across Ireland. Photos by Katie Herron and Graham Hughes. This project will not only provide valuable data for the scientific community but also contribute to the broader goals of BGE-ERGA by underscoring the importance of high-quality reference genomes in supporting the conservation of European biodiversity. Additionally, this study can serve as a model for other widespread species in Ireland, demonstrating the utility of the application of genomic methods in conservation and agriculture. This project has received funding from the European Union under the European Union’s Horizon Europe research and innovation programme, co-funded by the Swiss Government and the British Government. About the Authors Katie Herron is a PhD student at UCD, focusing on the genomics of Trifolium dubium  and is a member of ERGA. Ann Mc Cartney is an Assistant Researcher in the Genomics Institute at University of California, Santa Cruz and an Adjunct Assistant Professor at UCD. She is also vice-chair of ERGA and is a member of the Executive Board of the EBP. Graham Hughes is an assistant professor at UCD, and the director of the UCD Centre for Bioinformatics. He also sits on the ERGA Council of Representatives as representative for Ireland.

This tiny rodent’s genome is currently being sequenced with support from the Biodiversity Genomics Europe Project. Its selection as Hungary’s mammal of the year boosts conservation efforts for the species. Text by By Tamás Cserkész and Gábor Sramkó Conservation flagship species are typically chosen from among the more spectacular megafauna, with mice rarely taking the central stage. However, this is not the case in Hungary, where the Hungarian birch mouse was named the Mammal of the Year in 2025. This lesser-known, endangered species, found only in two locations within the South-Eastern European region, has its high-quality whole genome currently being assembled as part of BGE’s initiative “Enhancing Biodiversity Genomics Applications for Ongoing Case Studies” - you can learn more about the case study here  . The opening event of the “Mammal of the Year” program, organised by the Bükk National Park  Directorate, took place on February 19th 2025 in Miskolc (NE Hungary). Following the official welcoming speeches, professional presentations and discussions were held. Dr. Olivér Vácz introduced the citizen-science program “Vadonleső”, which is a Hungarian implementation of community observation of native flora and fauna. Then, Péter Balázsi, a representative of the local conservation authority Bükki National Park Directorate gave an overview of the ecology and distribution of the species. Finally, Dr. Tamás Cserkész, a researcher at the Hungarian Natural History Museum and BGE case study coordinator introduced the Hungarian birch mouse conservation management plan. The plan will serve as the main official document for Hungarian nature conservation authorities to preserve this endangered species. The event was attended by 67 guests and 15 representatives of the national media. A humorous music video about the Hungarian birch mouse, performed by the nationally known music ensemble “Kerekes Band” playing folk-funky music, premiered at the opening ceremony under the title “Mouse of Hungary”: https://youtu.be/2f3onx4VmQY?si=XQOpaSuuwC8YMSRT . Various events centred around the “Mammal of the Year” program will be held throughout the year, including open days where visitors can observe live birch mice, learn about the importance of conserving endangered species, and receive updates on the latest results from the BGE project. Hungarian birch mouse, Sicista trizona , Mammal of the Year 2025 in Hungary (photo: Tamás Szitta) The story has received considerable coverage from the Hungarian media, highlighting the importance of such initiatives in raising public awareness about native biodiversity: https://www.boon.hu/helyi-kozelet/2025/02/bukki-nemzeti-park-szocskeeger-vedett https://kormany.hu/hirek/magyarorszag-paratlan-termeszeti-orokseggel-rendelkezik https://hirtv.hu/video/302569 https://www.bnpi.hu/hu/hir/elkezdodott-a-magyar-szocskeeger-eve

Corallium rubrum is an octocoral (Cnidaria, Anthozoa) distributed in the Mediterranean Sea and in the neighboring North-Eastern Atlantic. Due to its arborescent morphology, this habitat-forming species displays a key structural role in biodiversity-rich benthic communities. C. rubrum  is also an iconic species with high cultural and economic values which has been actively harvested since Ancient times. A well conserved population of  the red coral, Corallium rubrum in the Medes Islands marine reserve. Photo by Joaquim Garrabou Yet, C. rubrum  is under conservation concerns due to overharvesting and anthropogenic climate change . C. rubrum  received conservation attention both from the scientific and biodiversity managers communities. International (Barcelona and Bern Conventions, EU Habitat Directive) and national legislations on harvesting were not able to reverse the demographic decline and C. rubrum  has been recognized as “endangered” on the IUCN red list of Anthozoans in the Mediterranean (Otero et al. 2017). While the demographic decline is well characterized, the impact of overharvesting and mass mortality events on the species genetic make-up is still poorly understood, mostly because of the limited genetic resources available to date. Crucial questions regarding admixture among lineages, demographic history, effective population sizes, selection, including local adaptation, are still open. These gaps of knowledge prevent us from fully understanding the species evolutionary building-up and to support conservation policies. Corallium rubrum is actively harvested for its use in jewelry and handcraft since Ancient time. Close-up photos of the Mediterranean red coral. The last two photos show red coral colonies suffering from tissue necrosis as a consequence of marine heatwaves. Photos by Joaquim Garrabou The objectives of the RED-COR project, “ Conservation genomics of the Mediterranean red coral, Corallium rubrum : a habitat-forming octocoral threatened by overharvesting and anthropogenic climate change”  are twofold:  Covering a large part of the species distribution range, we aim to set up the evolutionary stage of the species. We will: i) characterize the full spectrum of genetic diversity and structure, including admixture pattern; ii) infer the species demographic history and, iii) explore for the first time the genomic landscape of the species (e.g. islands of differentiation, large structural variants).   Focusing on two Marine Protected Areas along the Catalan Coast ( Parc natural del Montgrí, les Illes Medes i Baix Ter and Parc Natural del Cap de Creus) , where C. rubrum  populations are monitored since almost 20 years (including impact of marine heatwaves), we will: iv) look for local adaptation and v) test for a genetic determinism in the differential responses to thermal stress, contrasting “resistant” with “sensitive” individuals.  Diver sampling red coral colonies. Photo by Alexis Rosenfeld. This project relies on an international team of scientists and will benefit from the reference genome we assembled in the Catalan Biogenome Project (sN50 > 18Mb; sL50=7; size = 532 Mb; Busco:86% complete genes; QVscore 42; Ledoux et al. 2025).  From a management perspective, the first objective will allow us to test for different evolutionary lineages and, potentially, to define evolutionary units. We will be able to provide estimates of current effective population size for the different locations, which could be used to adjust current fishing quotas. The second objective will provide a relevant example of the inputs of population genomics for the management of protected areas. Text by Jean-Baptiste Ledoux ( CIIMAR, Interdisciplinary Centre of Marine and Environmental Research, Portugal)

By Tereza Manousaki, Thanos Dailianis, the MOm team, Katerina Vasileiadou, Xenia Sarropoulou and Konstantina Theofanopoulou The Hellenic Centre for Marine Research ( HCMR ), is at the forefront of marine biodiversity genomics as part of the European Horizon project Biodiversity Genomics Europe - BGE . One of the goals of this project is to sequence the genomes of endangered and ecologically significant marine species. The Greek participation in BGE includes, in addition to HCMR, the Natural History Museum of Crete and the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. This project is the first funded action of the European Reference Genome Atlas ( ERGA ) initiative, which brings together more than 1000 researchers with the aim of sequencing the genomes of all European species. Greece has been actively involved in ERGA since its inception and is represented by Prof. Konstantina Theofanopoulou (Rockefeller University) and Dr. Tereza Manousaki (IMBBC, HCMR). The research activity of HCMR within the framework of BGE, led by Dr. Tereza Manousaki, focuses on sequencing 25 key species of Greek marine biodiversity. Among them are marine mammals, invertebrates and commercially important species, as selected by marine biologists Dr. Thanos Dailianis and Dr. Katerina Vassiliadou. These data will provide valuable information on the genetic diversity, evolutionary history and adaptation of species to climate change. Landmark Achievement: The Mediterranean Monk Seal In collaboration with the Society for the Study and Protection of the Mediterranean Monk Seal ( MOm ), the genome sequencing of an emblematic and rare marine mammal, the Mediterranean Monk Seal Monachus monachus , has begun. The genome of “Constantina”, the orphaned young seal successfully cared for by MOm, is being processed by the Swedish SciLifeLab, a leading research center for biological infrastructure. Constantina, the Mediterranean Monk Seal whose genome is being sequenced. Following successful rehabilitation by the MOm team, she was released and is now free in her natural habitat. Photo by: MOm / P. Dendrinos Invertebrates: Ecological Pillars of the Greek Seas The project is sequencing key invertebrates - sponges, corals, and sea urchins - essential for shaping and maintaining marine ecosystems. The first two genomes have already been completed and are freely available to the research community for further studies. These are the genomes of the Noah's Ark shell ( Arca noae ), an endemic Mediterranean edible mollusc of fishing interest, as well as the pearl oyster Pinctada radiata , one of the first invasive migrants of the Eastern Mediterranean through the Suez Canal, which is now widespread in most Greek coastal ecosystems. An additional important action within the framework of the project is to conduct population genomic analysis that will support the management and protection of the common bath sponge found in the Greek seas ( Spongia officinalis ). This species is in immediate danger due to the effects of climate change and anthropogenic pressures. By sequencing the genomes of hundreds of sponge individuals from Greece, researchers aim to understand the current status and past history of the species, that not only defines Mediterranean marine ecosystems, but also has high cultural and commercial value for our country. The results, which will be the subject of the thesis of the PhD candidate of the HCMR and University of Crete, Ms. Xenia Sarropoulou, will lead to the understanding of the evolutionary processes taking place in the populations of the species, will highlight how it responds to the pressures it faces and will form the basis for its future management and conservation. This case study is a milestone for Greek research, providing a wealth of genetic information for a single –yet important– marine species. It underscores the importance of whole-genome studies for biodiversity conservation, both in Greece and across Europe. Spongia officinalis, the common bath sponge. Photo by: Thanos Dailianis / HCMR Click here to read a version of this report in Greek.

At this month's ERGA Plenary meeting , taking place on Monday, February 17 at 15:00 CET, Giulio Formenti will explore the growing relevance of pangenome graphs in advancing biodiversity genomics research. More details can be found below. Watch the talk: Abstract Pangenome graphs and their applications in biodiversity genomics Complete datasets of genetic variants are key to biodiversity genomic studies. Long-read sequencing technologies allow the routine assembly of highly contiguous, haplotype-resolved reference genomes. However, even when complete, reference genomes from a single individual may bias downstream analyses and fail to adequately represent genetic diversity within a population or species. Pangenome graphs assembled from aligned collections of high-quality genomes can overcome representation bias by integrating sequence information from multiple genomes from the same population, species or genus into a single reference. Here, drawing from our experience with both human and non-human pangenomes, I will review the available tools and data structures to build, visualize and manipulate pangenome graphs while providing practical examples and discussing their applications in biodiversity and conservation genomics across the tree of life. 🔗 https://www.nature.com/articles/s41588-024-02029-6 Speaker's Bio Giulio Formenti Research Assistant Professor, co-Director, and Bioinformatics Lead of the Vertebrate Genome and Jarvis Labs at The Rockefeller University (NY, USA). Extensive experience in human and non-human genetics and genomics. Active member and leadership roles of several international consortia with a focus on genomics. Significant mentoring and teaching experience acquired over multiple years in European and US universities. Advisory and leadership skills acquired while serving in various university academic boards. Actively engaged in science outreach, including organization of conferences and meetings with national and international collaborators. 🔔 To receive the Zoom link and join this and our upcoming plenary meetings, register as an ERGA member .

Join the first ERGA BioGenome Analysis & Applications Seminar of 2025! This month featuring talks by Martin Mascher and Marina Pupke Marone from the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) . More details below. 🕚 Monday, February 24th 2025 - 11:00 AM CET 📅 Add the seminar to your calendar Join us live on YouTube: Structural variation in the pangenome of wild and domesticated barley Abstract Pangenomes, which are collections of annotated genome sequences from multiple individuals of a species, provide valuable insights into structural variants that enhance genetic analysis in crop plants. This study presents a barley pangenome comprising long-read assemblies from 76 wild and domesticated genomes, supplemented by short-read data from 1,315 genotypes. The expanded variation catalog reveals structurally complex loci enriched in gene copy number variation. The utility of the pangenome is demonstrated through analysis of selected loci related to disease resistance, plant architecture, nutrient release, and trichome development. Novel allelic variations were identified, including a powdery mildew resistance locus and population-specific copy number gains in a vegetative branching regulator. Additionally, an expanded enzyme family in elite malting barley varieties was linked to altered enzymatic activity in micro-malting trials, and the deletion of an enhancer motif was associated with changes in the development of hairy appendages on barley grains. These findings suggest that allelic diversity at structurally complex loci has facilitated crop adaptation to selective pressures in agricultural environments. Speaker Martin Mascher leads the ‘Domestication Genomics’ research group at the Leibniz Institute of Plant Genetics and Crop Plant Research (IPK) Gatersleben. His lab investigates crop evolution and adaptation, focusing on how these processes shape genetic diversity in domesticated plants and their wild ancestors. His research centers on temperate cereals—barley, wheat, rye, and oats—leveraging the extensive collections of these crops and their wild relatives housed in the German national genebank. How to assemble plant genomes with TRITEX Abstract TRITEX is a computational pipeline for chromosome-scale assembly of plant genomes. TRITEX uses an input contig assembly (using HiFi long-reads, for example), Hi-C reads and a guide map (or reference genome) to assemble the genomes within a short time frame. Manual curation of contig placements is done intuitively with user-editable tables and plots. The pipeline is available at  https://tritexassembly.bitbucket.io/  and the related publication at  https://plantmethods.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s13007-022-00964-1 Speaker Marina Pupke Marone is a biologist with a degree from the University of São Paulo, Brazil, who started working with plant bioinformatics in 2016 during her master’s at the University of Campinas, Brazil. During her PhD in the same University, she completed a 9-month internship in the Domestication Genomics group at IPK in Germany, where she gained experience with the TRITEX pipeline and barley genomics. In 2023, she started her postdoc in the same group to start working in the barley pangenome. Related publications Marone, M.P., Singh, H.C., Pozniak, C.J. et al. A technical guide to TRITEX, a computational pipeline for chromosome-scale sequence assembly of plant genomes. Plant Methods 18 , 128 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13007-022-00964-1

The ERGA Data Analysis Committee  is thrilled to kick off 2025 with the launch of a new working group focused on Essential Biodiversity Variables  (EBVs). The EBVs serve as metrics for capturing biodiversity across genes, species, and ecosystems.  They facilitate our understanding of the changes that are taking place on our planet by bringing biodiversity data together in a consistent and meaningful way. This working group aims to conduct a meta-analysis of publicly available genomes from diverse ecosystems to estimate genomic-informed EBVs. All ERGA members  interested in participating in this working group are welcome to join our next DAC committee meeting, taking place on Monday, 24th of February at 11:00 AM. Hurry up because the registration will close at the end of February! Following a small literature review on the topic of EBVs, the working group is now collecting information on public genomic datasets,  possibly linked to phenotypic records. The following step will be to divide participants into different focus areas, including:  Aquatic environment (freshwater and marine) Terrestrial environment  Bioeconomy (e.g., pollinators) Dark/extreme habitats, whereby ‘dark’ we mean understudied/uncharacterised habitats The data analysis step will be coordinated among the 4 focus areas and will be carried out following the development of open pipelines made available through Galaxy ,  ensuring its openness and reproducibility. Results will be collected in a scientific publication led by the DAC committee.  If you would like to join this task force, follow these steps: Make sure you are a registered ERGA member. If not, please register here . Write an email to analysis@erga-biodiversity.eu  introducing yourself and expressing your interest before the 24th of February 2025. You will be added to the DAC mailing list to receive any updates on the upcoming meetings and will be asked to actively participate in the data gathering and subsequent steps.  We look forward to your participation!  Important links: What are EBVs? – GEO BON   Literature Review Essential Biodiversity Variables - Wikipedia   https://portal.geobon.org/datasets

Read the full interview with Fabrizio Ghiselli and James Fleming below: Can you introduce yourselves and share how you became interested in the topic of social justice? James: I'm James Fleming, I'm one of the two chairs of ERGA’s Social Justice committee. I'm a postdoc currently at Japan's Marine Science and Technology Institute  (JAMSTEC). I've been here for just 6 months and before that I was working in Europe. At some point I'll work on European genomes again. As for why I am particularly interested in social justice matters I think for me it's kind of always been there. Both of my parents are quite committed trade unionists in the UK, so I grew up in quite a strong left wing background in that respect. The political difficulties of people from marginalized groups was something that I grew up in a way to try and be as aware of as possible. Fabrizio: I'm Fabrizio Ghiseli and I'm an associate professor of zoology at the University of Bologna , Italy. I'm mostly interested in biodiversity genomics and molecular and genome evolution. There are two main reasons why I joined this committee: first because during my career and on the way to tenure I saw a lot of things that I didn't like and I want to change this reality or help changing it.  The second reason is that living in academia it's like living in a bubble and I wanted to get out of this bubble and learn about social justice applied to different scenarios - not only like to career paths - but also thinking of what is happening outside academia with minorities, with scientific colonialism and issues like these. James:   I always really appreciate Fabrizio’s perspective on social justice issues because he is at a much later career stage than I am  (I'm still kind of starting things off) but also because we come from very different places in Europe. We have very different perspectives on what impacts who and how. I think that that's actually something that the Social Justice committee has that's nice but could always use more of. So we are always looking for more perspectives and more members. Fabrizio: It’s the same for me. I'm learning a lot from James and the other members on some specific issues, while I can give a perspective on topics like teaching, for example. I teach a lot so I have experience with students and the relationship between tenure track or with the other people in academia so I think we complement really well. 2 . Can you describe what are the main goals and activities of the new ERGA Social Justice Committee? Fabrizio : In ERGA we are studying biodiversity but we need to keep in mind that people are also made of diversity. Our goal is to make the entire diversity of people in ERGA feel welcome and included. James : Yes, one of the different topics that we're interested in looking at are the effects of people's lived experiences within the biodiversity genomics community and how we can make ERGA and generally the universities and [research] institutions more comfortable, safer places to be. As part of that as well we're hoping to work a bit more with training and skills development and also with the outreach committees here in ERGA to look at how and to who we talk to when we communicate ERGA’s research, because we do a lot of really exciting stuff and it would be great to tell as many people about that as possible. 3. Why is it so important to embed social justice principles into biodiversity genomics research? James : Something that Fabrizio started the last question with which I think is really important is this idea that ERGA is made up of people. We aren't just scientific robots who produce papers, we are people who have lived experiences and who experience different challenges within the academic and within our personal environments. And I think valuing the members of ERGA as people is a very important part of doing the research properly. I think that also means valuing the communities that we do that research with - the people that live alongside the animals, plants and fungi the ERGA plans to sequence, and the people whose traditions and cultures are wrapped up in the existence of those organisms. We also have to explicitly confront that academia is not always a comfortable environment for people from a variety of marginalized communities and sometimes that's very intentional and sometimes it can be due to biases that we overlook. There are people who are restricted from access to downstream analyses, for example, because they can't make it into the field for whatever reason, or individuals who don't feel comfortable joining up with certain consortiums, or with certain groups for various valid reasons. And I think that it's very important that we try to confront that head on as well and make ERGA and the Earth BioGenome Project as a whole a place that's comfortable and fun for all researchers to be. Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Justice - learn more about the ERGA SJC goals: https://www.erga-biodiversity.eu/social-justice 4. What do you see as the main challenge or challenges to the goal of achieving social justice diversity equity and inclusion economic research? James : I think from ERGA’s perspective and from a practical perspective as a member of the social justice committee the main challenge is that there is a lot of work to do. That makes trying to solve every problem at once really tempting. But considering we're a very small committee and that all of our funding comes from grants, of course our ambitions have to be commensurate with practicality in order to really make a difference. I can talk very loftily about the social justice principles and how it's important that we save the world but I think that it's important that we actually do something with that rather than just espouse our principles and I think for us that's really going to be our main challenge - particularly in the first two or three years. Another challenge is that achieving social justice in ERGA means making sure that the ERGA community takes us seriously, and that means achieving concrete provable positive results and I think that will hopefully start something that snowballs itself. Fabrizio: Yes, what James just said is really true and important. In my opinion the most difficult thing is that we need to change a lot and people don't like changes. It's difficult to convince people to make changes and so I think that’s the biggest challenge.  James: I think it's very easy when you ask people to make change - and this happens to me as well -  to get very defensive. I'm sure that there are some people who will read this interview and be like “oh well, he shouldn’t have said that” and I think that that's probably fine. I'm going to miss things out, but I think there are a lot of people in the community, myself included, who have very good intentions but every now and then we need to change what we're doing in order to make it better. I think particularly if you think you're doing the right thing, being told that you can do the right thing better is often one of the hardest things to take.  5. The SJC is the newest ERGA Committee, can you tell us what concrete actions and are you most excited to promote as a committee? Fabrizio : In the new social justice committee we need to be disruptive because a lot of change is needed and also we don't have much time. But changes need time and so it's a tricky situation - we need to be disruptive but in a positive way . We don't want to force people to do things. First because we can't and second because people don’t respond well to this kind of behavior. As James said, we need to showcase the positive results from this kind of behavior that we want to adopt and that is tricky. It's also exciting. James: We also have grant applications that are currently in progress under evaluation, which is really positive. Some of these grant applications are examining whether or not EDI (Equality, diversity and inclusion) initiatives in Europe are actually working. There's often a lot of cynicism about top-down EDI tracking management and evaluation systems. So our grant proposals are themed around asking scientists and academics - the people who are affected by these schemes - whether or not they do think that these schemes are working for them. Or how they think these schemes could be improved. As we come into this new year we're also going to be building our online social justice resources library through the ERGA Knowledge Hub  and helping build the early career research network with training and knowledge transfer. So hopefully we'll be able to start bringing more early career researchers into the ERGA Committees - I think it's important to acknowledge that early career researchers can often feel excluded from big groups like ERGA and can feel like these groups aren't for them or for them yet. So I think that it's important from a social justice perspective to be part of the career development of early career researchers as well. Fabrizio: Yes, absolutely. Early career researchers and also minorities are more sensitive to this kind of problem and so we can learn from them and from their experiences. They are also generally more willing to change and so it’s very important to include them. James: Yes, I think that's true and statistically with early career researchers each generation is always more diverse than the one before. I think that that's very important so we can try and address this leaky pipeline problem that we have in science: what happens is the older and older you get the more and more scientists end up looking like me because the more and more people who don't (look like me) tend to feel like they have been pressured out of the system. So making serious advances in the early career stages could be a way to help fix that problem. Conclusion James :  [Our final message is that] we're always looking for new members! We're energetic, we're quite young… There's one thing that I wanted to mention which is that we've been using these three buzzwords but they're not just buzzwords to make us feel better: solidarity, intersectionality and collective action: these things are the things that will actually make this social justice committee good. Listening to each other, working together and listening across our boundaries.  We’re always looking for new members and we're always excited for new members, wherever they're from, whatever they're interested in and whether they're people who have historically been activists or people who are just interested in these topics. We meet every first Thursday of the month at 11:00 Central European Time. Right now we're mostly discussing moving forward with grant proposals but we're also looking at preparing a new member session in the new year that will be a lot more focused for trying to welcome people in and get people to know each other a bit more in the committee to try and inspire some internal projects within us.  Fabrizio: So if you want to make a change, just stop complaining, join us and let's try to make it happen! Send an email to the Social Justice Committee and learn more about how you can participate!

In June 2024, a research group from the University of Eastern Finland  launched a new project under the BGE-ERGA umbrella. The project takes advantage of the natural experiment currently taking place in Finland, where the brown hare ,  a temperate climate-adapted species and a recent arrival in the region, is expanding its distribution range with the help of climate change, at the expense of the cold-adapted mountain hare .  The brown hare ( Lepus europaeus) and the mountain hare (Lepus timidus) had their genomes sequenced as part of the ERGA Pilot Project. While the two species hybridise and the hybrids are fertile, the gene flow between the species is highly unidirectional from mountain hares to brown hares. The factors causing this directionality as well as its consequences for the two hare species remain poorly understood. It seems likely that the brown hares outbreed mountain hares while obtaining locally adapted gene variants from these. Led by Prof. Jaakko Pohjoismäki, the project aims to showcase the utility of reference-quality genome assemblies in aiding and enabling detailed dissection of species’ colonisation histories, and the genetic impact of hybridisation and adaptation. The distribution as well as the habitat use of mountain hares and brown hares overlaps in Finland. Despite the peaceful coexistence of the individuals in the wild, brown hares are expanding their range at the expense of the mountain hares. Game camera photos from a previous study on the species interactions. The trap was used for catching and tagging the hares for satellite tracking. Note the GPS collar on the mountain hare. Courtesy of the UEF hare research group. To understand the genomic consequences of the species hybridization, pinpoint genomic regions under selection and reveal ancestral makeup as well as origins of the Finnish brown hare population, the group, in collaboration with researchers from CIBIO, Portugal, gathered genotype by sequencing datasets from a geographically representative sample of 200 mountain hares and 200 brown hares. As comparative “parental” populations, sequencing data was obtained from four brown hare populations (Germany, Austria, Pyrenees, and Hungary) and five mountain hare populations (Sweden, Ural Mountains, and the Russian Far East: Kolyma, Magadan, and Primorsky Krai). The reference genome assemblies previously generated by the research group for the brown hare  and the mountain hare  as part of the ERGA Pilot Project are essential for the analysis as they facilitate SNP calling, recognition of linked variants, and the precise identification of the genes under selection. Data have already revealed hybridization patterns, genomic ancestry, and possible subpopulation structures among the two hare species. The group is currently investigating possible sex-linked biases in the introgression pattern, which might allow identification of possible male-related incompatibilities in the hybrids, as well as trying to pinpoint genes under selection. A fertile first-generation hybrid between mountain hare and brown hare, confirmed by genotyping. Such hybrids seem to come with a cost to the mountain hare while potentially benefitting the local adaptation of brown hares. The background fence belongs to private property and is not related to keeping animals captive. Game camera photo, UEF hare research group. Understanding the dynamics of the unique genetic interaction between the two hare species not only teaches us about the evolutionary processes of local adaptation in species range expansion but also provides valuable insight for informed conservation efforts for the mountain hare. This project is funded by the Horizon Europe program, with additional previous support from the Research Council of Finland (the xHARES consortium, grant no. 329264), and Portuguese FCT, Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia (doi: 10.54499/PTDC/BIA-EVL/1307/2020), to the Portuguese collaborators. We also thank BGE-ERGA for providing a collaborative platform that made this research possible. Chromosomal-level reference genome assemblies enable detailed analysis of species hybridisation, as these preliminary results of the presented study demonstrate. Upper panel: Example of mountain hare chromosomal segments in the genome of a brown hare individual from the Oulu region in Finland. The chromosomes appear in reverse alphabetical order from top to bottom. The Y-chromosome has been excluded as it lacks recombination. The red regions are homozygous, and the yellow regions are heterozygous with mountain hare genomic sequence. Lower panel: A closeup of the red section of chromosome 18, showing example gene loci in this region. Read more about the two genomes here . Image by Zsófia Fekete. Image by Zsófia Fekete. About the Author Prof. Jaakko Pohjoismäki is part of the ERGA Finland and participates in the ERGA Sampling and Sample Processing Committee , as well as its executive board. Besides the mitochondrial biology research group, he has led the hare research at the University of Eastern Finland since 2013 ( https://uefconnect.uef.fi/en/hare-research/ ).