Biodiversity inventories in high gear: DNA barcoding facilitates a rapid biotic survey of a temperate nature reserve
Authors: Telfer Angela , Young Monica , Quinn Jenna , Perez Kate , Sobel Crystal , Sones Jayme , Levesque-Beaudin Valerie , Derbyshire Rachael , Fernandez-Triana Jose , Rougerie Rodolphe , Thevanayagam Abinah , Boskovic Adrian , Borisenko Alex , Cadel Alex , Brown Allison , Pages Anais , Castillo Anibal , Nicolai Annegret , Glenn Mockford Barb Mockford , Bukowski Belén , Wilson Bill , Trojahn Brock , Lacroix Carole Ann , Brimblecombe Chris , Hay Christoper , Ho Christmas , Steinke Claudia , Warne Connor , Garrido Cortes Cristina , Engelking Daniel , Wright Danielle , Lijtmaer Dario , Gascoigne David , Hernandez Martich David , Morningstar Derek , Neumann Dirk , Steinke Dirk , Marco DeBruin Donna DeBruin , Dobias Dylan , Sears Elizabeth , Richard Ellen , Damstra Emily , Zakharov Evgeny , Laberge Frederic , Collins Gemma , Blagoev Gergin , Grainge Gerrie , Ansell Graham , Meredith Greg , Hogg Ian , McKeown Jaclyn , Topan Janet , Bracey Jason , Guenther Jerry , Sills-Gilligan Jesse , Addesi Joseph , Persi Joshua , Layton Kara , D'Souza Kareina , Dorji Kencho , Grundy Kevin , Nghidinwa Kirsti , Ronnenberg Kylee , Lee Kyung Min , Xie Linxi , Lu Liuqiong , Penev Lyubomir , Gonzalez Mailyn , Rosati Margaret , Kekkonen Mari , Kuzmina Maria , Iskandar Marianne , Mutanen Marko , Fatahi Maryam , Pentinsaari Mikko , Bauman Miriam , Nikolova Nadya , Ivanova Natalia , Jones Nathaniel , Weerasuriya Nimalka , Monkhouse Norman , Lavinia Pablo , Jannetta Paul , Hanisch Priscila , McMullin R. Troy , Ojeda Flores Rafael , Mouttet Raphaëlle , Vender Reid , Labbee Renee , Forsyth Robert , Lauder Rob , Dickson Ross , Kroft Ruth , Miller Scott , MacDonald Shannon , Panthi Sishir , Pedersen Stephanie , Sobek-Swant Stephanie , Naik Suresh , Lipinskaya Tatsiana , Eagalle Thanushi , Decaëns Thibaud , Kosuth Thibault , Braukmann Thomas , Woodcock Tom , Roslin Tomas , Zammit Tony , Campbell Victoria , Dinca Vlad , Peneva Vlada , Hebert Paul , deWaard Jeremy 
Published: August 2015

Comprehensive biotic surveys, or ‘all taxon biodiversity inventories’ (ATBI), have traditionally been limited in scale or scope due to the complications surrounding specimen sorting and species identification. To circumvent these issues, several ATBI projects have successfully integrated DNA barcoding into their identification procedures and witnessed acceleration in their surveys and subsequent increase in project scope and scale. The Biodiversity Institute of Ontario partnered with the rare Charitable Research Reserve and delegates of the 6th International Barcode of Life Conference to complete its own rapid, barcode-assisted ATBI of an established land trust in Cambridge, Ontario, Canada.

The existing species inventory for the rare Charitable Research Reserve was rapidly expanded by integrating a DNA barcoding workflow with two surveying strategies – a comprehensive sampling scheme over four months, followed by a one-day bioblitz involving international taxonomic experts. The two surveys resulted in 25,287 and 3,502 specimens barcoded, respectively, as well as 127 human observations. This barcoded material, all vouchered at the Biodiversity Institute of Ontario collection, covers 14 phyla, 29 classes, 117 orders, and 531 families of animals, plants, fungi, and lichens. Overall, the ATBI documented 1,102 new species records for the nature reserve, expanding the existing long-term inventory by 49%. In addition, 2,793 distinct Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) were assigned to genus or higher level taxonomy, and represent additional species that will be added once their taxonomy is resolved. For the 3,502 specimens, the collection, sequence analysis, taxonomic assignment, data release and manuscript submission by 100+ co-authors all occurred in less than one week. This demonstrates the speed at which barcode-assisted inventories can be completed and the utility that barcoding provides in minimizing and guiding valuable taxonomic specialist time. The final product is more than a comprehensive biotic inventory – it is also a rich dataset of fine-scale occurrence and sequence data, all archived and cross-linked in the major biodiversity data repositories. This model of rapid generation and dissemination of essential biodiversity data could be followed to conduct regional assessments of biodiversity status and change, and potentially be employed for evaluating progress towards the Aichi Targets of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011–2020.