We are happy to announce that our research project "ECOsoil 4.0" has received positive funding approval from the Federal Ministry of Economics and Climate Action (BMWK). ECOsoil4.0 aims to illuminate different biodiversity patterns in the top layers of soil from different land use types and to connect them to environmental factors. 

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. 

DNA metabarcoding enables complex questions to be answered, such as the examination of food webs based on faecal samples or the analysis of entire organisms. The taxonomic resolution in DNA metabarcoding can be further improved by various steps during the analysis, such as size fractionation.

Presentation of our Biodiversity Monitoring 2.0 in a network-based analysis of the distribution of taxa between the locations in Munich (2018) and Leipzig (2019).

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).

At the Day of Insects representatives from companies, research, NGOs, politics and the public network and display their activities.

We were there to connect with other insect enthusiasts and presented our DNA baroding services in a three-minute startup pitch.

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.

Our biodiversity can only be protected if everyone comes together. Like the day of the insects on 20./21.03. with representatives from economy, public and politics.

We are committed to broad insect monitoring throughout Europe and can quickly and efficiently capture biodiversity using our DNA metabarcoding service!

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.

Come by in Halle / Saale from 11.-14. March 2019 and meet us!

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.