In this research project I am investigating the influence of different management practices, reduced pest management in fungus resistant grapevine varieties (PIWI) and semi-natural habitat structures in the vicinity of vineyards using malaise traps and yellow trays as well as the meta-barcoding service of AIM.

In this Bavaria-wide project, malaise traps were set up at a total of 180 trap locations during three months (May / June / July). The samples were consequently analyzed with our metabarcoding service and visualized in a biodiversity network across four habitat locations using our data science.

In a recent study insect diversity was quantitively and qualitatively assessed at sites representing conventional and organic farming using Malaise trap sampling and our DNA metabarcoding technology.

Carsten Spisla from GEOMAR Helmholtz Centre for Ocean Research Kiel summarizes the project "Ocean ArtUp", short for Ocean Artificial Upwelling or artificial buoyancy in the ocean, which deals with the question whether these "deserts" through "fertilization" with significantly more nutrient-rich water from the deeper, dark and cold layers of the ocean to productive ecosystems can be transformed. Our DNA metabarcoding service supports the detailed monitoring of communities and community changes within this project.

The simultaneous control of insect pests and compliance of conservation targets in conifer-dominated forests has intensified public debate about adequate post-disturbance management, particularly in protected areas. The effects of debarking to non-target biodiversity remain unclear. Hence, we investigated whether bark-scratching, i.e. the partial removal of bark, resulted in a similar reduction of bark beetles, while possibly retaining parts of non-target biodiversity.

In a recent study scientists at the Zoological State Collection Munich examined the food of caterpillars of tropical butterflies by genetic analysis of the intestinal contents using our DNA metabarcoding technology. So far, there have hardly been any studies on the relationships of butterfly larvae to their food plants in the tropics, because it is extremely difficult to research the feeding behavior of caterpillars.

IIn a recent study a new species of the cosmetid harvestman genus Taito Kury & Barros 2014 was described by Friedrich & Lehmann (2020) from the Área de Conservación Privada (ACP) Panguana, Peruvian Amazonia. In addition, COI barcodes of the new species were provided with the help of our DNA barcoding service.

In a recent study, a new tool was developed and tested with the help of our DNA metabarcoding service. DNA metabarcoding has proven to be a major step forward in the quick and effective detection of multiple species of yeast in one sample with unknown composition, and thus represents a promising tool for non-targeted quality control of yeast starter cultures.

We are currently developing new projects which will aim to improve and refine the metabarcoding approach for yeast cultures further by testing additional genetically diverse regions, such as internal transcribed spacers (e.g. ITS1).

Researchers from the Bavarian State Collection of Zoology have discovered a previously overlooked snake species in Bavaria. It is a special form of barred grass snake (Natrix helvetica), which was previously known only from the Southern Alps and is apparently also widespread in western Austria. With the DNA barcoding service of AIM, the species could be specifically reported for Bavaria.

Much of Europe is covered by beech forests (dominated by beech trees Fagus sylvatica). These forests provide a livelihood for many species, including thousands of arthropods. Mushrooms are an important component of functioning forests and are the most important organisms for wood decomposition. The fruit bodies and mycelia of fungi are an important source of food for many insects and other arthropods.

Therefore, the tinder fungus and the associated diversity of arthropods have been investigated in a recent study by Friess et al. (2018). AIM supported this study with their DNA metabarcoding service.

Especially when it comes to claims for damages by pests, identification must often be quick and above all accurate. As in the following case, in the summer of 2018 BIO-TECH was able to protect an important customer from high demands with the aid of AIM and our DNA barcoding service.

Integrative taxonomy combines morphological species determination by means of classical taxonomy with modern methodological developments like COI DNA barcoding. This helps to recheck species boundaries or search for cryptic species previously undetected by morphological analysis.

In a recent study from 2018 AIM could support in the determination of species of the smaller arachnid orders in Peru using integrative taxonomy.