G-BiKE Short Term Scientific Mission opportunities announcement – Working Group 2 on genetic monitoring

G-BiKE Working Group 2 ( https://G-BiKEgenetics.eu/en/community/working-groups ) is seeking to fund Short Term Scientific Missions in the following areas:

1. Testing of genetic indicators for implementation within the Convention on Biological Diversity

These STSMs will focus on testing bioinformatic tools that estimate effective population size (Ne) in a variety of widely distributed European species (animal and plant) where estimates of census population size are available. The aim is to test the robustness of molecular Ne estimators to enable the implementation of Indicator 1 in Figure 1 of https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108654 (“The number of populations within a species with an effective population size (Ne) above 500 compared to the number below 500”, Hoban et al 2020). To do this, the accuracy of methods such as SNeP (Barbato et al 2015), and GONE (Santiago et al 2020) that can estimate Ne from genetic or genomic data needs to be established and compared in populations where Nc has also been estimated. Since Nc is proposed as a proxy for Ne at a ratio of 10:1, the aim is also to establish Nc:Ne ratios for the populations in question and infer Ne values for other populations of the same species where genetic/genomic data have yet to be applied or where Ne has not yet been estimated, or to control the robustness of current Ne/Nc estimates. Finally, recommendations will be made as to whether precise estimates of Ne should be reported (give the confidence estimates generated by the available tools) or whether reports should simply indicate >500 versus <500 with a confidence level attached. We are therefore seeking qualified individuals to carry out this work either on species and populations for which they are interested or using their own data or that which can be provided by G-Bike members. Suggestions for suitable species types include large carnivores, forest trees and amphibians but other groups will also be considered according to the data available. A variety of G BiKE members have indicated their willingness to host researchers interested in this question. G-BiKE STSMs can last from one month to three months, and cover costs for travel, meals and accommodation of typically 2500 euros, with a maximum of 4000 euros. If you are interested in this opportunity, please email Mike Bruford ( BrufordMW@Cardif..ac.uk ) or Joachim Meargay ( joachim.mergeay@inbo.be ) to enquire. We aim to start this work in time for a workshop we will organise on the subject in Brasov in July 2022. Suitable candidates will have ideally already acquired some experience of handling genomic datasets and experience in estimating Ne from such datasets will be an advantage. 

2. Simulation of Ne to estimate the consequences of endangered species population management

These STSMs will focus on forward simulations of changes in effective population size as a consequence of management actions in small populations aimed at increasing Ne towards the threshold of Indicator 1 in Figure 1 of https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2020.108654 (“The number of populations within a species with an effective population size (Ne) above 500 compared to the number below 500”, Hoban et al 2020). This will be carried out using a variety of datasets, both historical (based on known management actions) and a series of hypothetical future scenarios for populations yet to receive such management actions. Software will be evaluated, such as Speed Ne (Hamilton et al 2017), Skelesim (Parobek et al 2017) and SLiM 3 (Haller and Messer 2019). We are therefore seeking qualified individuals to carry out this work either on species and populations for which they are interested or using data that can be provided by G-Bike members. Suggestions for suitable species types include large carnivores, forest trees and amphibians but other groups will also be considered according to the data available. A variety of G Bike members have indicated their willingness to host researchers interested in this question. G-Bike STSMs G-Bike STSMs can last from one month to three months, and cover costs for travel, meals and accommodation of typically 2500 euros, with a maximum of 4000 euros. If you are interested in this opportunity, please email Mike Bruford ( BrufordMW@Cardif..ac.uk ) or Joachim Meargay ( joachim.mergeay@inbo.be ) to enquire. We aim to start this work in time for a workshop we will organise on the subject in November 2022. Suitable candidates will have ideally already acquired some experience of handling genomic datasets and experience in estimating Ne from such datasets will be an advantage.