The aDNA contribution to the CBD post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework, Online meeting

Background Since the first Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 1992, biodiversity has been defined as the total variation of life on planet Earth at three levels: genes, species and ecosystems. Today we face dramatic biodiversity loss due to the combined effects of land use and climate change. This loss is basically calculated in terms of number of species, but very little is known about loss of diversity at the genome level. Nonetheless, roughly speaking, genetic diversity within species is the necessary condition for any adaptation to occur and it is, thus, of particular relevance in the so-called Anthropocene. The relevance of genetic diversity in biodiversity protection and management has been only rarely included in policies and regulations. This seems to be the case for the CBD post-2020 Global Biodiversity Framework too. To this end, the COST Action G-BiKE together with GEO-BON and IUCN has recently developed three genetic indicators to be included in the next strategy (Hoban et al, 2020): 1) The number of populations [or breeds] within species with an effective population size > 500 compared to the number < 500. 2) The proportion of (sub)populations [or geographic range] maintained within species. 3) The number of species and populations in which genetic diversity is being monitored using DNA-based methods. In this one-day online workshop we aim to highlight how aDNA studies can play a pivotal role for the practical implementation of the genetic indicators, especially of 1) and 2). Through key lectures and specific fora, we will present how aDNA studies are already poised to make these indicators highly informative in the light of CBD post-2020 Global Biodiversity Strategy. PROGRAM (NB all times are CET/UTC +1): 8:45-9:00 am Intro from G-BiKE: Cristiano Vernesi (Fondazione Edmund Mach, Italy) and Margarida Fernandes-Lopes (Instituto da Conservação da Natureza e das Florestas, Portugal) 9:00-10:30 Overview of aDNA with ample Q&As: -An introduction to the aDNA world - Ludovic Orlando (University of Toulouse, France) -Population genomics of the extinction process - Love Dalén (Centre for Palaeogenetics, Stockholm, Sweden) -Impact of human activities on genetic diversity and microbiomes of wildlife through time - Katerina Guschanski (Uppsala University, Sweden) 10:30-10:45 coffee break 10:45-11:00 Tour de table: self-presentation of speakers, discussants and attendees. 11:00-11:30 Forum 1: Setting the baseline: how many genetically distinct different populations were out there? Coordinator: Andy Foote (NTNU, Norway) Discussants: Eline Lorenzen (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) Evelyn Jensen (University of Newcastle, UK) Flora Jay (CNRS, LRI, University Paris-Saclay, France) 11:30-12:20pm Discussion in 3 breakout rooms (each room will be composed by speakers, discussants and attendees) 12:20-1:20pm Lunch break 1:20-1:50 Forum 2: Measuring genetic erosion: how aDNA can inform on effective population size and other relevant diversity indices? Coordinator: Love Dalén (Centre for Palaeogenetics, Stockholm, Sweden) Discussants: Jouni Aspi (Oulu University, Finland), David Díez del Molino (Stockholm University, Sweden) Ida Moltke (Copenhagen University, Denmark) Katerina Guschanski (Uppsala University, Sweden) 1:50-2:40 Discussion in 3 breakout rooms 2:40-3:10 Forum 3: How can I make the best of my historical and ancient collections Coordinator: Tom Gilbert (University of Copenhagen, Denmark) Discussants: Ian Barnes (The Natural History Museum, London, UK) Nathan Wales (University of York, UK) Mikkel Sinding (Trinity College Dublin, Ireland & Copenhagen University, Denmark) 3:10-4:00 Discussion in 3 breakout rooms 4:00-4:15 Coffee break 4:15-5:15 Wrap up with short synthesis from each Room Discussant: Jan-Olov Westerberg (IUCN Council) to be confirmed Plenary round-table: how to summarize the main workshop outcomes into a paper to be submitted in the next couple of months or so. Tasks assignment.