About This Project

The current rate of biodiversity loss calls for immediate actions. The recent commercialisation of portable nanopore sequencing technology enables DNA metabarcoding analysis in field-laboratory conditions. We are developing a harmonised laboratory system for arthropods identification to assess trophic interactions between critically endangered and invasive lizard species on the remote islands of the Aeolian archipelago (Italy), which could be scaled up for similar studies in other remote areas.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

Understanding how biotic interactions shape the distribution of species and sustain ecosystem stability is central to ecological research. Never, in the history of humanity, has it been so urgent to assess how global change is affecting these key ecological processes. Fortunately, technological improvements can now help us generate vast amounts of data in a rapid and effective manner.

The recent introduction of portable nanopore sequencing technology enables DNA metabarcoding analysis for species identification directly on site, overcoming the limitations that have long hampered the full potential of molecular analysis for biodiversity conservation. However the lack of harmonised and standardised approaches represents a major obstacle to its applicability at scale.

What is the significance of this project?

The aim of this project is to adapt portable sequencing for the realisation of an integrative, harmonised, and standardised approach to species identification virtually anywhere and by anyone. If successful, it will allow to monitor biodiversity and unveil key interspecific interactions at a fraction of the costs across the globe.

A standardised approach would allow researchers to assess how biodiversity is responding to increasing environmental change, while also producing results that are commensurable across study areas and providing crucial evidence for the implementation of sound conservation policies. Finally, the system portability could be scaled to capacitate scientists in remote areas with important benefits for biodiversity conservation worldwide.

What are the goals of the project?

The overarching goal of this project is the development of a standardised portable laboratory system for DNA barcoding analysis in remote areas to monitor biodiversity and unveil important aspects of inter-specific interactions that are key elements of ecosystem functioning and stability.

To this end, we will use portable laboratory equipment to perform in situ DNA sequencing to investigate arthropod diversity from faeces of two coexisting lizard species in the remote Aeolian archipelago (Southern Italy). These include the Critically Endangered Podarcis raffonei and the invasive P. siculus. We have several ongoing projects on these islands including the sequencing of P. raffonei genome for population genetics analysis and detection of hybridisation with P. siculus.