GINAMO

About

This blog

This blog is for anyone interested in monitoring genetic diversity, particularly stakeholders actively engaged in this task.

We are scientists in the EU-funded project GINAMO (Genetic Indicators for NAture MOnitoring), aiming to develop science-based guidelines and tools for the use of genetic indicators. This blog, along with our newsletter, is a way of regularly updating our stakeholders.

Each month, we explore a specific topic – from why genetic indicators matter to practical guidance on how to delimit populations. We mostly focus on the two indicators that countries are required to report to the Convention on Biological Diversity from 2026: 1) the proportion of populations within species with an effective population size (Ne) greater than 500, and 2) the proportion of populations maintained within species.

The GINAMO (Genetic Indicators for NAture MOnitoring) project

GINAMO is a three-year research initiative (2024-2027) funded by Biodiversa+. This international collaboration brings together researchers from eleven institutions across eight countries to address a critical gap in biodiversity monitoring: the practical implementation of genetic diversity indicators.

Despite being recognized as a pillar of biodiversity since 1993, genetic diversity has lagged behind in conservation policy. Through collaboration between researchers, policymakers, and nature managers, GINAMO creates practical methodologies and user-friendly workflows that make genetic monitoring feasible without extensive DNA collection. The project transforms genetic monitoring from aspiration to reality, providing countries with practical tools to meet biodiversity reporting obligations while supporting comprehensive conservation efforts.

Funding: This research was funded by Biodiversa+, the European Biodiversity Partnership, in the context of the GINAMO project under the 2022-2023 BiodivMon joint call. It was co-funded by the European Commission (GA No. 101052342), The Research Council of Norway, The Belgian Science Policy, L’Agence nationale de la recherche, Ministero dell’Università, Naturvårdsverket, Rymdstyrelsen, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft and Innovation Fund Denmark.