Centre for Ancient Environmental Genomics

Introduction: Genetic diversity plays a crucial role in enabling species to adapt to changing environments and is essential for bolstering ecosystem resilience in the face of environmental disruptions. The Centre for Ancient Environmental Genomics (CAEG) has a mission to use ancient environmental genomics to enhance our comprehension of ecological and evolutionary processes over vast temporal and spatial scales. This knowledge contributes significantly to biodiversity preservation and strategies for mitigating the impacts of climate change.

Historical Perspective: Throughout the history of life on Earth, ecosystems have undergone transformations. The fossil record reveals the loss of numerous species and a substantial portion of genetic diversity within contemporary ecosystems. While fossilized remains offer insights into individual species, the recovery of billions of ancient environmental DNA (eDNA) fragments from a mere gram of sedimentary deposits can shed light on the diverse array of organisms that coexisted at a particular time and location. Accessing this information empowers us to reconstruct past dynamics of intricate biological systems in unprecedented detail, spanning from individual genes to entire ecosystems, across temporal and spatial scales spanning thousands to millions of years.

Unlocking Potential: In theory, sedimentary deposits worldwide harbour a wealth of eDNA resources. However, realizing this potential necessitates the development of novel techniques. CAEG aims to establish a core facility to expand the array of sediment types from which eDNA can be extracted. Additionally, CAEG will pioneer new mathematical and statistical algorithms to address fundamental questions about the shifts in the functions and dynamics of species and ecosystems over time. Importantly, this core facility will be made accessible to the broader scientific community.