About This Project

We want to DNA barcode plants of the Alaskan wild with the help of citizen scientists and local Brooklyn students, at the Genspace Community Biolab.

Ask the Scientists

What is the context of this research?

The goal is very simple: allow citizen scientists, students, and people who love Alaska to conclusively identify species they find in the Alaskan wild using only a tiny fragment of specimen for a realtively low cost. DNA Barcoding is a method of taxonomic identification that relies on obtaining DNA sequence from specific sites in the genome to determine species and clarify evolutionary relationships. It requires a tiny piece of tissue rather than the whole plant specimen needed for traditional identification. Last August we performed an initial specimen collection from the Skolai Valley in southcentral Alaska. With the help of the New York Botanical Garden staff, we are in the process of identifying each of over 200 specimens by traditional means. In parallel, we have launched Alaska Barcoding as a citizen science project at the community laboratory Genspace in Brooklyn NY where anyone is free to learn and join us in DNA extraction, PCR, and sequence data analysis to add the specimen's DNA barcode to the Barcode of Life database. As our team works our way through various regions of Alaska, a snapshot in time will emerge of the flora that can be queried by students, hikers, or any other amateurs in an accessible manner through the DNA barcode.

What is the significance of this project?

Alaska is home to some of the most hardy yet fragile species of plants. The effects of global warming are all too apparent here. Adding to the Barcode of Life database will help scientists in their ecological surveys, allow amateurs to participate and contribute, and help environmentalists catalog the effects of climate change. In addition, teaching and enabling people to learn barcoding hands on contributes to STEM learning, adult science literacy, and a deeper appreciation of DNA-based technolgy and what it can do to enrich our lives. Genspace, the community lab I co-founded, is uniquely suited to this type of collaborative citizen science. For the past three years we have engaged the public through classes and hands-on projects such as this one. Being actively involved in the research gives people a better understanding of its value.

What are the goals of the project?

$3500 will be used for DNA extraction reagents and DNA sequencing of both strands for about 200 samples. The remainder will fund the continuation of the work by allowing us to go back to Alaska and sample the next site. If the goal is exceeded, it will allow us to collect specimens at additional backcountry sites.