Short Description
ABOL is a network of experts and institutions which aims to record the genetic diversity of all Austrian animal, plant and fungi species via DNA barcodes. The coordination of ABOL is situated at the Natural History Museum Vienna. The DNA barcodes are characteristic sections of genes that are species-specific and thus allow species assignment. Data generated in ABOL is freely accessible and provides a valuable basis for fast and reliable species determination by DNA barcoding for numerous applications.
ABOL is a platform promoting biodiversity research with Bridge Building function to applications and politics. A key principle of ABOL is to make Austrian biodiversity data freely available in accordance with the FAIR principles for research data.
Contact Person
Dr. Nikolaus Szucsich
Research Services
Biodiversity Research via the DNA barcoding approach.
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
DNA barcoding is a standardized method for the identification of organisms based on specific sections of their genetic material (DNA). DNA barcoding therefore uses sections of specific genes that differentiate species. Thus, these DNA sequences (DNA barcodes) enable to unambiguously assign the DNA to a certain species. In a first step, DNA barcodes of taxonomically classified organisms are inferred and stored in a reference database. These DNA barcodes are then made available for comparisons. Identifying an unknown sample “simply” requires sequencing the DNA barcode section and comparing it with the sequences held in the reference database. This is how DNA barcoding enables quick and reliable species determinations. Nonetheless, the success of the determination depends on how comprehensive the reference database is and on its quality. The creation of Austrian DNA barcode references started in 2014 and has been continuously expanded since then.
ABOL - Related Research Infrastructures:
- Natural History Museum Vienna: Coordination of the ABOL initiative
https://forschungsinfrastruktur.bmbwf.gv.at/de/fi/zentrale-forschungslaboratorien_4528
- University of Graz: Keyence VHX-5000 Digitalmikroskop,
https://forschungsinfrastruktur.bmbwf.gv.at/de/fi/keyence-vhx-5000-digitalmikroskop_3548
- University of Graz: DNA-Barcoding-Infrastruktur an österreichischen Universitäten,
https://forschungsinfrastruktur.bmbwf.gv.at/de/fi/dna-barcoding-infrastruktur-an-osterreichischen-universitaten_3873
- University of Graz: 24-capillary Genetic Analyzer
Equipment
AGES – Austrian Agency for Health and Food Safety
AIT – Austrian Institute of Technology
Austrian Academy of Sciences
E.C.O. – Institut für Ökologie
Haus der Natur, Salzburg
inatura Dornbirn
Landesmuseum Kärnten (in German only)
Medical University of Vienna
Museum of Natural History Vienna
Museum of Nature South Tyrol (in German and Italian only)
Nationalparks Austria (in German only)
Natural History Museum, Universalmuseum Joanneum, Graz
ÖKOTEAM – Institut für Tierökologie und Naturraumplanung
Tyrolean State Museum Ferdinandeum, Natural Science Collections
UBA – Environment Agency Austria
University for Continuing Education Krems
University of Applied Sciences Kärnten
University of Graz
University of Innsbruck
University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences, Vienna
University of Salzburg
University of Veterinary Medicine, Vienna
University of Vienna
Upper Austrian State Museums, Biology Center Linz
Societies:
AÖE – Austrian Entomologists’ Association
Austrian Association for Floristic Research
Birdlife Austria (in German only)
KFFÖ – Koordinationsstelle für Fledermausschutz und -forschung in Österreich (in German only)
MoFA – Mollusc Research Austria
Naturkundliche Gesellschaft Mostviertel
Naturschutzbund Austria (in German only)
NOBIS Austria – Network of Biological Systematics
ÖEG – Austrian Entomological Society (in German only)
ÖGEF – Austrian Society of Entomofaunistics (in German only)
ÖGH – Austrian Society of Herpetology (in German only)
ZooBot – Zoological-Botanical Society of Austria (in German only)
International DNA barcoding initiatives:
CCDB – Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding
CroBOL – Croatian Barcode of Life
FinBOL – Finnish Barcode of Life
GBOL – German Barcode of Life
iBOL – International Barcode of Life
NorBOL – Norwegian Barcode of Life