Diversity (Jul 2021)
The Future of DNA Barcoding: Reflections from Early Career Researchers
- Danielle M. Grant,
- Ole Bjørn Brodnicke,
- Ann M. Evankow,
- André O. Ferreira,
- João T. Fontes,
- Aslak Kappel Hansen,
- Mads Reinholdt Jensen,
- Tuğba Ergül Kalaycı,
- Alexandra Leeper,
- Shalaka Kiran Patil,
- Sebastian Prati,
- Anna Reunamo,
- Aradhana J. Roberts,
- Rajesh Shigdel,
- Valentina Tyukosova,
- Mika Bendiksby,
- Rakel Blaalid,
- Filipe O. Costa,
- Peter M. Hollingsworth,
- Elisabeth Stur,
- Torbjørn Ekrem
Affiliations
- Danielle M. Grant
- NORCE Norwegian Research Centre, NO-5012 Bergen, Norway
- Ole Bjørn Brodnicke
- Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, DK-2200 Copenhagen, Denmark
- Ann M. Evankow
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, NO-0318 Oslo, Norway
- André O. Ferreira
- CBMA—Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- João T. Fontes
- CBMA—Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- Aslak Kappel Hansen
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
- Mads Reinholdt Jensen
- Department of Biology, Aarhus University, DK-8000 Aarhus, Denmark
- Tuğba Ergül Kalaycı
- Department of Biology, University of RTE, 53100 Rize, Turkey
- Alexandra Leeper
- Aquaculture Department, Matís ohf. Food and Biotechnology, 113 Reykjavík, Iceland
- Shalaka Kiran Patil
- Department of Biological Sciences, University of Bergen, NO-5020 Bergen, Norway
- Sebastian Prati
- Department of Arctic and Marine Biology, University of Tromsø, NO-9019 Tromsø, Norway
- Anna Reunamo
- Finnish Environment Institute SYKE, 00790 Helsinki, Finland
- Aradhana J. Roberts
- Department of Physical Geography and Ecosystem Science, Lund University, S-223 62 Lund, Sweden
- Rajesh Shigdel
- Department of Clinical Science, University of Bergen, NO-5020 Bergen, Norway
- Valentina Tyukosova
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Mika Bendiksby
- Natural History Museum, University of Oslo, NO-0318 Oslo, Norway
- Rakel Blaalid
- Department of Natural History, University Museum of Bergen, NO-5020 Bergen, Norway
- Filipe O. Costa
- CBMA—Centre of Molecular and Environmental Biology, University of Minho, 4710-057 Braga, Portugal
- Peter M. Hollingsworth
- Royal Botanic Garden Edinburgh, Edinburgh EH3 5LR, UK
- Elisabeth Stur
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
- Torbjørn Ekrem
- Department of Natural History, NTNU University Museum, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, NO-7491 Trondheim, Norway
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.3390/d13070313
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 13,
no. 7
p. 313
Abstract
Over the last two decades, the use of DNA barcodes has transformed our ability to identify and assess life on our planet. Both strengths and weaknesses of the method have been exemplified through thousands of peer-reviewed scientific articles. Given the novel sequencing approaches, currently capable of generating millions of reads at low cost, we reflect on the questions: What will the future bring for DNA barcoding? Will identification of species using short, standardized fragments of DNA stand the test of time? We present reflected opinions of early career biodiversity researchers in the form of a SWOT analysis and discuss answers to these questions.
Keywords
- biodiversity
- cryptic species
- metabarcoding
- reference libraries
- high-throughput sequencing
- biomonitoring
