Early Forecasting and Monitoring System for Genetic Biodiversity Loss in Keystone Forest Tree Species (DIVERSE_GENE_WATCH)

Project description

Forests are our dearest treasure, who’s resilience is compromised by strong and concerted pressure of global warming stressors. Forest resilience largely depends on high genetic diversity of key-stone forest tree species. Our consortium intends to team up scientists, sectoral agencies, forest owners and NGOs to create, pilot and implement a durable, transnational genetic diversity monitoring (GM) system that could effectively estimate genetic biodiversity and timely warn on coming declines for keystone forest tree species along BSR. The keystone tree species for forest ecosystems in BSR are: Quercus robur, Picea abies, Tilia cordata and Fraxinus excelsior. These species were selected as having the greatest impact on resilience and biodiversity of BSR forests. Our GM network via transnational teaming would safeguard the transition to a green and resilient forest-rich region in BSR. It could be a key initiative cascading similar networks in Europe, which will ultimately be merged into a pan-European network for safeguarding our forests. The GM system in each country consists of (a) network of GM plots for keystone forest tree species, (b) GM methods based on DNA genotyping, phenotyping and remote sensing, (c) common action plan for genetic diversity enrichment in case of detected declines, and (d) national legal implementation. GM is based on comparison of genetic diversity between generations of trees. Such GM system already exists in southerly Europe http://www.lifegenmon.si/

The GM system in each country will consist of:

(a) a network of monitoring plots for selected tree species,
(b) GM methods based on DNA genotyping, phenotyping, and remote sensing,
(c) a joint action plan to enhance genetic diversity in cases where its decline is detected,
(d) proposals for national legal regulations enabling the implementation of GM.

Official project site:
https://interreg-baltic.eu/project/DIVERSE_GENE_WATCH

Project goals

The aim of the project is to implement a Genetic Monitoring (GM) system to rapidly identify declines in genetic diversity and enable quick and effective responses to detected threats through the protection and enrichment of genetic diversity. Maintaining a high level of genetic variability in forests would significantly increase the resilience of forest ecosystems and strengthen the sustainable development of the countries in the Baltic Sea Region.

This goal will be achieved through:

(1) the development of transnational strategies and the implementation of an early-warning and monitoring system for the loss of genetic biodiversity in major forest-forming species,
(2) testing the designed actions on so-called pilot plots,
(3) developing a monitoring protocol and preparing a preliminary agreement for implementing the system in practice based on lessons learned from pilot activities.

By employing modern methods of genetic analysis and remote sensing, our project responds to the program’s call to “implement digital monitoring to rapidly identify challenges and enable faster and more effective responses, for example in the field of biodiversity and climate change.”

Characteristics of the project

Scope of IBL participation

IBL role in project

The Forest Research Institute (IBL) is a partner in the DIVERSE_GENE_WATCH project, representing Poland among 11 project partners from seven countries of the Baltic Sea Region. IBL will also collaborate with national institutions involved in the conservation of forest genetic resources, forest owners, and the State Forests in order to develop phenotyping methods for application in GM.

The Institute will participate in the implementation of project results and pilot activities, which will include establishing monitoring plots for the four selected species in Poland. It will also contribute to the development of technical guidelines for GM and their legal integration into national genetic resource conservation programs. Furthermore, the Institute will take part in preparing a preliminary agreement for implementing the project outcomes into practice and in drafting a framework for formalized cooperation in the field of Genetic Monitoring (GM).

Project contractors

Dr Jan Kowalczyk, Professor at the Institute (Department of Silviculture and Genetics of Forest Trees)
Dr Tomasz Wojda (Department of Silviculture and Genetics of Forest Trees)
Dr Szymon Jastrzębowski, Professor at the Institute (Department of Silviculture and Genetics of Forest Trees)

Partners

Vytautas Magnus University  (VMU, Litwa)
Lithuanian State Forest Service (LRV, Litwa)
Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR, Niemcy)
Latvian State Forest Research Institute (SILAVA, Łotwa)
Estonian University of Life Sciences (Estonia)
Linnaeus University (LNU, Szwecja)
University of Copenhagen (UNIPD, Dania)
Forest Research Institute (IBL, Polska)
Latvia’s State Forests (LVM, Łotwa)
Association LithuaniaBIO (LithuaniaBIO, Litwa)
Estonian State Forest Management Centre (RMK, Estonia)