Five high-impact planetary biology projects selected for further development
Researchers across Sweden submitted 17 strong proposals to the SciLifeLab Planetary Biology strategic area. After a competitive evaluation process, five projects have been selected to move forward to dedicated brainstorming workshops aimed at maximizing their scientific and societal impact.
Earlier this year, the SciLifeLab Planetary Biology strategic area invited researchers across Sweden to propose ideas that have the potential to drive significant advancements in environmental life sciences, are based on the SciLifeLab infrastructure and could be developed into project ideas with potential for high societal impact.
Now, five proposals have been selected to move forward for further development through dedicated brainstorming workshops.
A total of 17 proposals of very high scientific quality were submitted, representing researchers from seven Swedish universities. The proposals were evaluated and ranked by the Planetary Biology leads and co-leads based on novelty, ambition, project scope, potential impact, and feasibility to utilize SciLifeLab infrastructure.
After individual scoring (1–5 scale) and discussion, an average score was assigned, leading to a unanimous decision. Five proposals were selected to proceed to dedicated workshops for further development. Given strong synergies among three of the proposals, the Planetary Biology leads recommended the researchers to merge their efforts to maximize scientific impact.
The process and project selection has been endorsed by the SciLifeLab Management Group.
The Planetary Biology strategic area together with the submitting researchers will host open brainstorming workshops aimed at further developing and shaping the selected proposals.
Selected proposals
Baltic Ecosystem Genomics
Responsible Investigators: Kerstin Johannesson, University of Gothenburg; Andreas Wallberg, Uppsala University; Leif Andersson, Uppsala University.
Summary: Integrating genomics, ecology, modelling and policy to support climate-resilient ecosystem management of the Baltic Sea
Development of a mechanistic understanding of the linkages between biodiversity and carbon sequestration in high latitude ecosystems
Responsible Investigator: David Wardle, Umeå University.
Summary: Unravelling how interactions between plant communities, soil abiotic properties, and decomposer microbial diversity and functioning shape carbon sequestration in high-latitude ecosystems
Linnaeus 2.0: Unlocking a genomic and taxonomic time capsule
Responsible Investigators: Mats Eriksson, Evolutionsmuseet, Uppsala University; Bengt Oxelman, Göteborg University; Niklas Wahlberg, Lund University.
Summary: Developing genomic protocols to unlock DNA from centuries-old type specimens in natural history collections, providing critical reference resources to strengthen taxonomy, species discovery, and biodiversity conservation in the face of global species loss.
ARCTIMES – Arctic Reference Catalogue for Taxonomic Identification of Modern and Extinct Species
Responsible Investigator: Peter Heintzman, Centre for Palaeogenetics and Department of Geological Sciences, Stockholm University.
Summary: Building a comprehensive genome catalogue of ancient and modern Arctic species to improve eDNA studies and reveal biodiversity dynamics and ecosystem resilience to climate change across time.
Forecasting adaptation in a changing planet: evolutionary insights from 16 million museum specimens
Responsible Investigators: Mafalda Ferreira, Stockholm University; Lisandro Milocco, Stockholm University; Jennifer James, Uppsala University; Gabriela Montejo-Kovacevich, Uppsala University.
Summary: Leveraging museum collections and cutting-edge genomics and phenomics to integrate genotype, phenotype, and environment into predictive models of evolution under anthropogenic change.
In consultation with the research project teams, proposals 3, 4, and 5 have been merged into a single project, under the name ARCTIME4CAST: Forecasting Evolution in the Arctic using Temporal Multi-Omics
