BaltGene: About BaltGene

About BaltGene

Gene level biodiversity of Baltic Sea populations

The BaltGene research project started in January 2009 and will be running for three years with participants from Sweden, Finland, Poland and Russia. The project will address the importance of genetic biodiversity for adaptation to processes such as climate change, overfishing and other ecosystem functioning.

BaltGene is funded by the Baltic Organisations Network for funding Science EEIG, BONUS and the Swedish Research Council for Environment, Agricultural Sciences and Spatial Planning, FORMAS. The Department of Marine Ecology at the University of Gothenburg hosts the project.

Goals

Genetic components of biodiversity are crucial for adaptation to climate change, sustainable fisheries and various other ecosystem functions. Yet, existing knowledge of gene level biodiversity of Baltic Sea populations is currently not considered in management of biodiversity. BaltGene will use existing knowledge and retrieve new knowledge when appropriate to answer the following four questions:

What are the key genetic resources characterising the Baltic Sea ecosystem, and to what extent are they unique?
How important is the genetic biodiversity of the Baltic Sea ecosystem to ecological resilience and sustainability of resource use?
What measures are needed to protect and sustainably manage important genetic biodiversity in the Baltic Sea ecosystem?
How should governance structures be fitted to accumulate the genetic level of biodiversity in management of the Baltic Sea ecosystem?