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Genetic Diversity Indicator Challenge

By ISSI’s Team “Genes from Space”

Oliver Selmoni

Please use this QR code to access stage 1 survey while you wait for the meeting to start (ENG)

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Genetic Diversity Indicator Challenge

By ISSI’s Team “Genes from Space”

Oliver Selmoni

Please use this QR code to access stage 1 survey while you wait for the meeting to start (SPANISH)

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Code of conduct

  • This is a safe and welcoming environment with mutual respect of all. Derogatory, discriminatory, or disrespectful behavior is not tolerated!
  • Please keep your microphone muted during the plenary sessions unless called on to speak – instead, feel free to ask questions using the chat!
  • Please participate actively in the break-out groups!
  • Be mindful of time so that everyone can participate. :)

Full code of conduct: https://www.issibern.ch/code-of-conduct/

We value your active participation and feedback!

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Meet the team!

Look for us in the chat! Our name starts with 00_name(institution)

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Aims of this workshop

  • We are here to test the Genes from Space approach and associated tool to develop it into a community resource.

  • You will be contributing with your experience and knowledge regarding the use of the tool, the usefulness of its output, and/or alternative ways to estimate genetic diversity indicators.

After today, we will incorporate your feedback and lead further discussions. The results of this workshop will become a joint publication to which you would be invited (details at the end) and improvement of the tool.

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Data, tool and participation expectations

  • We will ask you to share and discuss with us example data from running the tool, that could be included in the joint publication.

  • You can still participate in the workshop even if you do not share data after the workshop.

  • Please know that the rights to the Genes from Space tool are pending protection, so it can be maintained for free use for all. Use of this tool means that you will not utilize the ideas or formulation of this tool for any commercial purposes, now or in the future.

  • You also agree to not use the tool for your own scientific publication until the results of the workshop are published.

Thank you for helping us to build a community resource!

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Four first mentimeter questions (participant info, prior knowledge)

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  • UNEP initiative
  • Ratified agreements since 1992 (‘Rio’)
  • Revised in 2022 (‘Kunming-Montreal’)
  • Global Biodiversity Frameworks contain
    • Goals
    • Targets
    • Indicators
    • Monitoring requirements

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1992

2022

KM GBF CBD

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  • UNEP initiative
  • Ratified agreements since 1992 (‘Rio’)
  • Revised in 2022 (‘Kunming-Montreal’)
  • Global Biodiversity Frameworks contain
    • Goals
    • Targets
    • Indicators
    • Monitoring requirements

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1992

2022

KM GBF CBD

Genes from Space

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KM GBF and genetic diversity

  • Headline indicator A.4 NE500 “Effective size 500”
  • Complementary indicator PM “Populations maintained”

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“maintain and restore genetic diversity within and between populations to maintain adaptive potential”

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ADN

gen

INDIVIDUOS

POPOLATIONS

SPECIES

ECOSYSTEMS

alelos: variantes �distintas de un mismo gen

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DNA

gene

Individuals

Populations

SPECIES

ECOSYSTEMS

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maintained populations = 2/3

Does it exist anymore?

Ne > 500

Ne<500

Lost

X

Populations > Ne = 1/3

Is it conserving genetic diversity?

Population

Earth Observation for monitoring existence and size of habitat

Genetic Diversity Indicator

Year X

Year X+5

Genes from Space

The number of populations that existed 2010-2020 vs. number of populations that still exist.

Proportion of populations

large enough to avoid loss of genetic diversity

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How to estimate Ne?

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Sampling of

a population

Ne

Genetic analyses

->

->

With genetic data

Frankham 1995, Palstra & Ruzzante 2008, Frasier & Ruzzante 2012, Frankham et al 2019, Hoban et al 2020, 2021

Ne/Nc ratio e.g. 0.1

all mature individuals

(Nc)

Without genetic data

effective population size

(Ne)

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How to estimate Ne?

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Sampling of

a population

Ne

Genetic analyses

->

->

With genetic data

Frankham 1995, Palstra & Ruzzante 2008, Frasier & Ruzzante 2012, Frankham et al 2019, Hoban et al 2020, 2021

Ne/Nc ratio e.g. 0.1

all mature individuals

(Nc)

Without genetic data

effective population size

(Ne)

Genes from Space

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Needs + Challenges: �Data availability on Ne

Data sources

for Ne > 500

indicator

Nc data from point estimates

(e.g. capture recapture study found 3,589 individuals)

Nc data from range estimates

(e.g. “park ranger considers there are more than 5,000 mature individuals by much”)

Ne from genetic studies

Insufficient

data

Genes from Space

Data from Mastretta-Yanes et al. 2024, Multinational evaluation of genetic diversity indicators: doi:10.1111/ele.14461

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Needs + Challenges: �Data availability on Ne

Data sources

for Ne > 500

indicator

Nc data from point estimates

(e.g. capture recapture study found 3,589 individuals)

Nc data from range estimates

(e.g. “park ranger considers there are more than 5,000 mature individuals by much”)

Ne from genetic studies

Insufficient

data

Genes from Space

Data from Mastretta-Yanes et al. 2024, Multinational evaluation of genetic diversity indicators: doi:10.1111/ele.14461

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Genetic Diversity Monitoring:�Penguins in Antarctica

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Test your learning!

Picea omorika is endemic to the Balkan Peninsula.There are 14 confirmed sites within Republica Srpska, where adult individuals have been counted. Assuming an Ne/Ne ratio of 0.1 and the following 3 populations. What is the value of the Ne indicator?

Population name

Nc

Ne

Veliki Stolac

3,000

Karaula Štula

100

Gostilja

1,000

https://threatenedconifers.rbge.org.uk/conifers/picea-omorika

0/3

2/3

1/3

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Mentimeter question (Ne indicator for for P. omorika)

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Test your learning!

Picea omorika is endemic to the Balkan Peninsula.There are 14 confirmed sites within Republica Srpska, where adult individuals have been counted. Assuming an Ne/Ne ratio of 0.1 and the following 3 populations. What is the value of the Ne indicator?

Population name

Nc

Ne

Veliki Stolac

3,000

300

Karaula Štula

100

10

Gostilja

1,000

100

https://threatenedconifers.rbge.org.uk/conifers/picea-omorika

< 500

< 500

< 500

Ne indicator = 0/3

0/3

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The Genes from Space monitoring tool

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The Genes from Space monitoring tool

species of interest:

Persea cinerascens

country of interest:

Mexico

User chooses species and geographical area of interest

STEP 1)

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The Genes from Space monitoring tool

species of interest:

Persea cinerascens

country of interest:

Mexico

Upload species occurrence coordinates

area of interest

STEP 2)

User chooses species and geographical area of interest

STEP 1)

species occurrences

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The Genes from Space monitoring tool

species of interest:

Persea cinerascens

country of interest:

Mexico

Upload species occurrence coordinates

area of interest

area of interest

STEP 2)

User chooses species and geographical area of interest

STEP 1)

Or use GBIF coordinates

species occurrences

species occurrences

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The Genes from Space monitoring tool

species occurrences

species of interest:

Persea cinerascens

country of interest:

Mexico

Upload species occurrence coordinates

area of interest

STEP 3)

species occurrences

area of interest

Or use GBIF coordinates

pop1

pop2

pop3

User sets parameters

- Observation distance �(i.e. home range size)

- Population distance �(i.e. the distance between points that are merged into a population)

area of interest

STEP 2)

User chooses species and geographical area of interest

STEP 1)

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The Genes from Space monitoring tool

User chooses satellite-based dataset

STEP 4)

Habitat change data

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The Genes from Space monitoring tool

Choosing habitat change over time (Step 4)

Global forest watch: tree cover loss, 2000-2023

ESA CCI land cover : land cover change, 1992-2020

30m pixel resolution, once per year

300m pixel resolution, once per year

Not available for the demo today due to computational load (high resolution) – available from tomorrow!

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The Genes from Space monitoring tool

Habitat change data

Baseline Year and Interval �(e.g. 10 years)

User sets the baseline

year and increments

STEP 5)

Habitat change data

User chooses satellite-based dataset

STEP 4)

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The Genes from Space monitoring tool

Habitat change data

Baseline Year and Interval �(e.g. 10 years)

User sets the baseline

year and increments

STEP 5)

Habitat change data

User chooses satellite-based dataset

STEP 4)

a) User sets the Ne/Nc ratiob) User sets the density

STEP 6)

Ne/Nc

Density

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Ne<500

PM

Schuman, Roeoesli et al. (preprint), Leveraging Earth Observation to monitor genetic diversity from Space, doi:10.32942/X2RS58

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Advantages

Of assessing genetic indicators from space

  • Fills a gap for species and regions where genetic date is unlikely to be generated

  • Affordable, fast, large scale�
  • Possible with limited or no genetic data

  • Frequent assessments – �to prioritize genetic sampling

  • Large capacity - more species

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Limitations

Of assessing genetic indicators from space

  • Ecosystems must be visible from space

  • Threats must be visible from space (not poaching)�
  • Be careful with uncertainties

  • Assumptions:
    • Populations are defined without genetic data
    • Population density estimates, instead of genetic data

🡪 Still in pilot phase

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Group check in!

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Tool demonstration

Species: Nasalis larvatus

Region: Borneo, Malaysia

Home range: ~ 10 km

Population distance: ~ hundreds of km

Habitat type: forest

Ratio between Census and Effective Populations Size: Unknown

Population density: very low (a few individuals per km2)

We are not familiar with this species. We chose it solely because the region is known for its high deforestation rates and we are initiating a collaboration with local NGOs. We want to approach this with respect and awareness, acknowledging our position as outsiders to this context.

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The “Genes from Space” tool: You try!

Next you will:

  1. Try running the tool with an example given to you by the room leader (everyone tries the same example).
  2. Try running the tool with a species of your choice.

Document and share your experience.

We are here to help!

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Breakout Rooms

Please choose a Zoom breakout room according to the languages that can be supported by your hosts:

1. English/German (Isa & Sean)

2. English/Italian/German (Cristiano & Merry & Ghassem)

3. English/French/German (Claudia & Linda & Debbie)

4. Spanish (Santiago & Wolke)

5. Spanish (Alicia)

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Feedback & wrap-up

Please return to Mentimeter (slide)

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Last two Mentimeter questions (outcome, feelings)

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What’s next?

  1. You will receive a follow-up survey to provide your in-depth feedback. Please complete this and return it to us within the coming two weeks!

You are asked to perform more runs with the tool - keep the links!

2. We will incorporate your feedback regarding technical issues

3. We will schedule further meetings to discuss the effectiveness, limitations and trustworthiness of the Genes from Space approach.

4. The results of this workshop will become a joint publication to which you will be invited.

5. If the approach is successful and after further testing, we will be back in touch with guidelines for use of the tool for reporting.

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Requirements to participate in the publication

  • Active participation in the exercises conducted in the workshop today
  • Fill in the feedback form

AND

  • Contribution to the manuscript (writing, figures, etc.) via on one or both of the following:
    • Analysis of one or more species using the tool presented (e.g. own examples)
    • Contribution of experience and knowledge regarding the use of the tool, the usefulness of its output, and/or alternative ways to estimate genetic diversity indicators via survey feedback following the workshop

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https://www.flickr.com/photos/wwworks/

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