Current progress of Mexico in the iBOL project

Mexico, with a surface only two million km2 and 10,000 km of littoral zone, occupies the fourth place in biodiversity of the world* *Source: Capital Natural De México, Vol I: Conocimiento Actual De La Biodiversidad. México, pp Comisión Nacional para el Conocimiento y Uso de la Biodiversidad (CONABIO), México. 2nd Place with 804 spp. (8240) 2nd place with 449 spp. (4170) 4th place with 361spp. (4780) 12th place 1,150 spp. (9,198) 2200 marine and 500 freshwater fishes Here we found 7.37% of marine fishes of the word 1st place 669 spp. (1400) 518 are endemics 1st place 55 spp. (110 ) 47 are endemics

Currently Mexico has been developing several strategies for the advance of the barcoding projects and researchers involved:  Support to the Mexican Barcode of Life (MEXBOL)  Promote barcoding as a powerful tool for taxonomists  Developing strategies to lower costs and preparation of a portfolio of projects to submit to different funding agencies  Involvement in other initiatives  Support and advice for results publishing Advance

Support to MEXBOL MEXBOL network is one of 20 thematic networks supported by the Mexican Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT, see MEXBOL network is one of 20 thematic networks supported by the Mexican Council of Science and Technology (CONACYT, see After an open call this year, we submitted two proposals to CONACYT for direct support of the MEXBOL network. In total were approved MXN 3,315, (near 255, dlls). After an open call this year, we submitted two proposals to CONACYT for direct support of the MEXBOL network. In total were approved MXN 3,315, (near 255, dlls). From the total $94,000 dlls will be used for equipment. From the total $94,000 dlls will be used for equipment. $90,000 dlls must be used for a general meeting of the MEXBOL network, perdiem, and maintenance of the WEB service $90,000 dlls must be used for a general meeting of the MEXBOL network, perdiem, and maintenance of the WEB service Remaining money will be used in consumables and reagents Remaining money will be used in consumables and reagents

The budget for equipment and consumables will be used to support the National Lab for the Barcoding, currently with three nodes of high volume PCR and servicing all members of the network (50,000 reactions/year). The budget for equipment and consumables will be used to support the National Lab for the Barcoding, currently with three nodes of high volume PCR and servicing all members of the network (50,000 reactions/year). Instituto de Biología ECOSUR Chetumal CIBNOR La Paz

Development of the National Lab Apart of the support from CONACYT, each institution involved in the nodes gave additional funds. Apart of the support from CONACYT, each institution involved in the nodes gave additional funds. IBUNAM gained, through a joint project with other two institutes, a high throughput sequencing facility, with a capillary and a 2nd generation sequencers. IBUNAM gained, through a joint project with other two institutes, a high throughput sequencing facility, with a capillary and a 2nd generation sequencers.

NATIONAL COUNCIL FOR BIODIVERSITY (CONABIO) SUPPORT A server with hardware and software to support a National Mirror of the BOLD database and the MEXBOL page A server with hardware and software to support a National Mirror of the BOLD database and the MEXBOL page Income for a technician (Arturo Domínguez García) in charge to develop the software of the MEXBOL page (~1.5 yrs. with a possible extension of time) Income for a technician (Arturo Domínguez García) in charge to develop the software of the MEXBOL page (~1.5 yrs. with a possible extension of time)

MEXBOL web page

Currently 95 formal members + ~30 not formally included

UNDER CONSTRUCTION!

Advances in barcoding Currently, Mexico is among the top ten nations on barcode production with the following groups: Animals Plants Acanthocephala (3rd)Magnoliophyta (8th) Annelida (5th)Pinophyta (2nd) Arthropoda (7th) Chordata (3rd)Fungi Cnidaria (5th)Ascomycota (2nd) Echinodermata (6th)|Basidiomycota (2nd) Nematoda (2nd)Zygomicota (2nd) Platyhelminthes (4th)Chlorarachniophyta (2nd) Rotifera (1st) Data from the BOLD taxonomy browser (June 20, 2013)

Related Projects A submission for equipment in ECOSUR (~300,000 dlls) A submission for equipment in ECOSUR (~300,000 dlls) 14 projects financed by CONABIO are underway or finished 14 projects financed by CONABIO are underway or finished 13 projects financed by other sources are underway or finished 13 projects financed by other sources are underway or finished 7 new projects submitted by different colleagues involving barcodes 7 new projects submitted by different colleagues involving barcodes About 100 students involved in different projects with their own Thesis or research studies About 100 students involved in different projects with their own Thesis or research studies Google: In conjunction with the CBOL, to work in the project Barcode Wildlife Project to barcode CITES protected species (see Google: In conjunction with the CBOL, to work in the project Barcode Wildlife Project to barcode CITES protected species (see

Academic progress A special volume on Mexican Barcoding (Molecular Ecology Resources) is in progress A special volume on Mexican Barcoding (Molecular Ecology Resources) is in progress Preparation of the State of Art on DNA barcoding in Mexico Preparation of the State of Art on DNA barcoding in Mexico +63 papers already published by Mexican authors* +63 papers already published by Mexican authors* An increasing knowledge of biodiversity in this region of the world An increasing knowledge of biodiversity in this region of the world

Timeline Initial funds Start of National Lab First results Start with LIMS Year Consolidate National Lab 20K sequences Start support to collections Start mirror facility and LIMS work 20K sequences Lab capability fully installed Supported collections Crio- preservation associated to collections Capacity for 20K or more specimens* Application of barcodes Continue support to collections Consolidati on of participation in different iBOL themes Most material in collections sequenced Continue in application Global review of goals to establish new ones -2 Negotiation and preparation of the project to CONACYT and CONABIO

Challenges or threats Funds have been shortened, intermitent, delayed, and support policies are continuosly changing in Mexico Funds have been shortened, intermitent, delayed, and support policies are continuosly changing in Mexico High pressure from CONACYT to develop only applied projects High pressure from CONACYT to develop only applied projects Reluctance to DNA barcoding by many well trained taxonomists Reluctance to DNA barcoding by many well trained taxonomists In general (and for good reasons) Mexicans are quite concerned about their data, they are demanding for a BOLD mirror, and the release policy of the iBOL is not welcome for many of them, mainly taxonomists. In general (and for good reasons) Mexicans are quite concerned about their data, they are demanding for a BOLD mirror, and the release policy of the iBOL is not welcome for many of them, mainly taxonomists.

Thanks!