Genomics for Australian Plants

Key project information

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Data notes

The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization to the Convention on Biological Diversity is an international agreement which aims at sharing the benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in a fair and equitable way. It entered into force on 12 October 2014, 90 days after the date of deposit of the fiftieth instrument of ratification.

Australia has ratified the Nagoya Protocol but not implemented it. Specimens which are collected prior to the Nagoya protocol are indicated as such in the sample metadata. Researchers providing material collected after 12 October 2014 have provided assurance the material comply with the best practice under the current legislation. The relevant permit numbers under which the material has been collected are included in the sample metadata where possible.

Introduction

Plants are the backbone of all life on Earth and a key resource for human well-being. Climate change can affect plant diversity as species that are unable to adapt are particularly vulnerable. Australia’s unique flora is under threat from due to varying degrees of disturbance or neglect since the first Europeans came to Australia and from climate change.

Genomic approaches offer the possibility of unlocking the enormous information in nuclear genomes for plant evolutionary and conservation studies to significantly improve conservation management decisions.

The central resource for this initiative will be derived from herbaria and botanic gardens (living collections) around the country. The addition of genome sequencing data will add significant value to the collections and contribute to the development of new methods and capabilities.

Aims

The Initiative has three key aims:

• Sequence and assemble representative Australian plant genomes across across the plant tree of life to enable better conservation, utilisation and understanding of Australia’s unique plant diversity;

• Build genomic capacity across Australian Botanic Gardens and Herbaria to create networks collaborating in the collection, management, dissemination and application of genomic data for Australian plants;

• Provide tools to enable genetic data to be used to identify and classify biodiversity at a range of scales and to use these tools to inform conservation management and enable better decision making.

Additional Info

Field Value
policy_url https://www.genomicsforaustralianplants.com/agreements-policies/