DarkLife · THE BLACK SEA BASIN, A CRADDLE AND REFUGE OF EUROPEAN BIODIVERSITY
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2020-10-01 → 2022-09-30
- EU contribution
- €172,932
- Participants
- 1
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
THE BLACK SEA BASIN, A CRADDLE AND REFUGE OF EUROPEAN BIODIVERSITY
The project aims at improving our current knowledge of the origins and diversification of terrestrial invertebrates in the Black Sea basin – a neglected refuge for the survival of species during the glaciations and an important centre of origin and dispersal of an unique component of European wildlife. The project objectives are: 1. To conduct an integrative taxonomic revision of the target spider genera in the region of interest. 2. To delimit the distribution ranges and identify the environmental preferences of the target species. 3. To infer the phylogenetic relationships of the target spider species. 4. To estimate the diversification timing of the target species. 5. To reconstruct the biogeographic history of the target species. 6. To identify the impact of past climatic and geological changes in the diversification of the target families in the region and to assess the sensitivity of the target species to climatic changes under climatic projections, both in the past (e.g. last glacial maximum) and in the future, under the predicted scenario of global warming. 7. To investigate the comparative role of the Black Sea and the Mediterranean basins as a refuge for the European faunas, based on geological history, faunistic composition, and biogeographical affinities. The new perspective put forward by the EU’s Responsible Research and Innovation framework encourages research that addresses social challenges and promotes those activities that help to bring the scientific endeavor closer to the general public. Although for the most part the here proposed project can be considered fundamental research, the expected results would be of great value for understanding the effect of climatic changes on biodiversity, which is one of the main global challenges facing present-day societies. Studying the biodiversity around the Black Sea is supposed to unravel the evolutionary history of its endemic fauna, identify the factors driving its diversification and assess its sensitivity to global environmental changes. The obtained information during the project can be used to make predictions on the impact of global warming on the unique habitats of the region, providing essential information for future conservation policies and sustainable development programs.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
In the last years, human activity has rapidly accelerated the rate of biodiversity loss, compromising the vital goods and services ecosystems provide to sustain well-being, and future economic and social development. The Black Sea Basin is listed among the WWF’s “top priority places” for conservation. Its unique biota, however, is serious threatened by illegal logging, intensive agriculture and unsustainable coastal development. Although the Black Sea Basin biodiversity is reasonably well characterised, many questions about its origin and relevance for present-day European natural heritage remain. The The DarkLife project aims at improving our current knowledge on the origins and diversification of terrestrial invertebrates in the Black Sea basin – a neglected refuge for survival of species during Quaternary glaciations and an important centre of origin and subsequent dispersal of a unique component of European wildlife. To tackle this ambitious goal, I will combine integrative taxonomic research with high-throughput DNA sequencing (HTS) techniques and state of the species distribution modelling (SDM) tools. I will use spiders as a model system organism. I will gain expertise on modern systematic and evolutionary biology research through training in two leading European institutions, the University of Barcelona, the top ranked university in Spain, and the Senckenberg Biodiversity and Climate Research Centre (BiK-F) in Germany. The results of the DarkLife project will help me to reveal the factors and mechanisms that shaped the Black Sea basin unique biodiversity melting pot, unravel its origins and dynamics and, more importantly, predict how global warming may affect its future viability. The training provided by the MSC will help me to secure a scientific position in Bulgaria and become an active player in the development of future conservation policies and sustainability programs my home country.
Original text from CORDIS.
Participants
- UNIVERSITAT DE BARCELONA · BarcelonaCoordinatorSpain
Links
Data: CORDIS, © European Union