RESULTS (2025) (PDF)

The ERANET METAPLANTCODE project (contract no. 24/2024) took place between 01.01.2025 - 31.12.2025, its activities being implemented in close agreement with the Biodiversa+ project. The collection of field samples, namely insect samples from Malaise traps, located in the Danube Delta (LTER site – Long-Term Ecological Research), continued. These samples are used to monitor the biodiversity of plant species in a spatio-temporal context, for bioinventory or for biological plant-pollinator interactions. Moreover, a series of other relevant activities were carried out to achieve the objectives of the METAPLANTCODE project. Thus, the development and optimization of the DNA extraction protocol and the development and optimization of the PCR amplification protocol were carried out, to ensure the quality and reproducibility of metabarcoding data. At the same time, the feasibility assessment and selection of appropriate molecular markers for DNA metabarcoding were carried out, to guarantee the accuracy of species identification in pan-European case studies.

RESULTS (2024) (PDF)

The ERANET METAPLANTCODE project (contract no. 24/2024) took place between 01.04.2024 - 31.12.2024, its activities being implemented in close agreement with the Biodiversa+ project. The locations for the placement of Malaise type traps were selected and the collection of samples from the field, respectively of insect samples from traps placed in (i) Neamt county, was started: for a better understanding of the role of urban habitats for the conservation of pollinators in Europe, comparing pollinator communities from urban gardens vs. agricultural fields, and (ii) Tulcea County (Danube Delta - LTER = Long-Term Ecological Research site) for biodiversity assessment, insects being good indicators of ecosystem integrity due to their acute sensitivity to environmental changes. The collected samples will be used in the following stages to monitor the biodiversity of plant species in a spatio-temporal context, bioinventory or biological interaction of the plant-pollinator type.