ID: 613 / 113

Category: Symposia

Track: Pending

Proposed Symposium Title: A CONTINENTAL SCALE CONSORTIUM APPROACH TO BUILDING GENOMICS CAPACITY AND RESOURCES: GENOMICS FOR AUSTRALIAN PLANTS - SESSION 1

Abstract: Amidst rapid developments in genomic sequencing approaches and computational methods, improving genomics capacity among plant systematics and conservation scientists is key to leveraging the power of genomic tools to document, characterise and conserve biodiversity during unprecedented and accelerating environmental change. This symposium presents a continental-scale consortium approach undertaken by the Genomics for Australian Plants Initiative to build genomics capacity and resources to enhance understanding of the evolution and conservation of Australian flowering plants. The flora of Australia comprises a vast, diverse and unique assemblage of plants, approximately 7% of global floral diversity, of which 86% of species are endemic, and yet. Lack of genomic resources for many native species, coupled with disproportionately distributed genomics capacity among the plant systematics and conservation communities limits opportunities to take advantage of genomic developments to advance our understanding of the evolution and conservation of Australia’s unique flora. To build capacity and generate resources, the Genomics for Australian Plants program was initiated by Bioplatforms Australia (funded by the Australian Government’s National Collaborative Research Infrastructure Strategy (NCRIS)), in partnership with researchers from the Australian State and National Herbaria and Botanic Gardens, universities, government agencies, genomics service providers, compute providers and international collaborators. The consortium framework leverages national compute and bioinformatics resources and develops genomics capacity and collaborative networks in the collection, management, dissemination and application of genomic data at a continental scale. This symposium will highlight the consortium approach and explore new insights gained across a broad scope of research including: development of bioinformatics pipelines, de novo assembly of whole genomes, the construction of the Australian Angiosperm Tree of Life (a genus-level phylogeny including representatives for over 90% of Australia’s angiosperm genera), phylogenomic reconstructions of selected Australian lineages, and the application of genomic approaches to resolve species delimitation among complex groups of conservation concern.

Speaker 1: David Cantrill Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria | Executive Director of Science David.Cantrill@rbg.vic.gov.au Genomics for Australian Plants: developing reference genomes for plant systematics.

Speaker 2: Margaret Byrne Biodiversity and Conservation Science | Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions, Western Australia | Executive Director margaret.byrne@dbca.wa.gov.au Resolving taxonomy challenges in species complexes using conservation genomics.

Speaker 3: Lalita Simpson Australian Tropical Herbarium | Postdoctoral Fellow lalita.simpson1@jcu.edu.au A consortium approach to building the Australian Angiosperm Tree of Life.

Topics (Up to three): Conservation Biology

Topic 2: Phylogenetics and Phylogenomics

Topic 3: Systematics

Justification: This symposium showcases a unique and ambitious nationally collaborative research initiative which could be applied in other regions to build genomics capacity and resources. The outcomes of the Genomics for Australian Plants (GAP) Initiative integrates research aligned with four topics outlined for XXIBC: 31. Systematics and taxonomy; 22. Phylogenomics; 7. Conservation biology; and 2. Bioinformatics. The proposed speakers include female and male researchers from early and senior career stages from three Australian research institutions across the Australian continent. The GAP consortium includes 210 researchers from 28 organisations and we anticipate many interested presenters, from diverse backgrounds and career stages.