The founding charter of the Genomic Observatories Network

Neil Davies,Stephanie Parker,Antje Wichels,Frank Oliver Glöckner,Levente Bodrossy,Adriana Zingone,Nathalie Simon,Folker Meyer,Janet Jansson,David Hoekman,Steve Stones-Havas,John Deck,Jason Bobe,Patricia Wecker,Kate M Thibault,Dawn Field,Matthias Obst,Rob Knight,Chris Scholin,Anna Klindworth,Mesude Bicak,Sujeevan Ratnasingham,Evangelos Pafilis,Renzo Kottmann,Gunnar Gerdts,Christian Jeanthon,John Jacob Parnell,Georgios Kotoulas,Chris Meyer,Norman Morrison,Michèle Barbier,Serge Planes,Véronique Berteaux-Lecellier,Katherine Barker,Tetsukazu Yahara,Stefan Bertilsson,Rebecca Kao,V Marteinsson ,Jean‐Marc Hero ,Michelle S Koo ,Alexei J Drummond ,Graham Stone ,Nathalie J Valette-Silver ,George Roderick ,Yuri P Springer ,Jonathan A Coddington ,Melody S Clark ,Matthew J Bietz ,Paraskevi N Polymenakou ,P R Hirsch ,Karsten Schönrogge ,Susanna‐Assunta Sansone ,David D Myrold ,Paul C Hanson ,Kelly D Goodwin ,Rosemary G Gillespie ,John Wooley ,Jack A Gilbert ,Jed A Fuhrman ,Andrew J Lowe ,Jo‐Ann C Leong ,Linda Amaral‐Zettler ,Alfried P Vogler ,Ruth D Gates ,Robert J Toonen ,Daniel P Faith ,Jonathan B Geller ,Ángel Borja ,Naiara Rodríguez‐Ezpeleta ,Null Author_Id

doi:10.1186/2047-217x-3-2

Abstract

The co-authors of this paper hereby state their intention to work together to launch the Genomic Observatories Network (GOs Network) for which this document will serve as its Founding Charter. We define a Genomic Observatory as an ecosystem and/or site subject to long-term scientific research, including (but not limited to) the sustained study of genomic biodiversity from single-celled microbes to multicellular organisms.An international group of 64 scientists first published the call for a global network of Genomic Observatories in January 2012. The vision for such a network was expanded in a subsequent paper and developed over a series of meetings in Bremen (Germany), Shenzhen (China), Moorea (French Polynesia), Oxford (UK), Pacific Grove (California, USA), Washington (DC, USA), and London (UK). While this community-building process continues, here we express our mutual intent to establish the GOs Network formally, and to describe our shared vision for its future. The views expressed here are ours alone as individual scientists, and do not necessarily represent those of the institutions with which we are affiliated.

Highlights

We will work with the broader scientific community to build models of how genomic biodiversity contributes to ecosystem services, evolutionary potential, and ecological resilience
What is a Genomic Observatory? Some of the terms we use here require definition (See Table 1), since not everyone in the community uses them in the same way
We define a ‘Genomic Observatory’ as an ecosystem, and/or a site within an ecosystem, that is the subject of long-term scientific research, including the sustained study of genomic biodiversity

Summary

Background

Key outcomes of 21st century science include an Earth with its essential life support systems intact, and a planet where human society has achieved sustainable development. Achieving these challenges, requires a greatly improved understanding of human interactions with the natural environment. The GOs Network aims to observe DNA sequences – the biocode – across the principal levels of biological organization (cell, organism, ecosystem) up to the planetary genome [1,2]. We will work with the broader scientific community to build models of how genomic biodiversity contributes to ecosystem services, evolutionary potential, and ecological resilience

Main text

Conclusions