Projekt

It is planned to undertake 1) a comprehensive upgrade of research infrastructure in the molecular ecology laboratory at ISU, and 2) a joint research investigation of biodiversity and refugial areas in the Caucasus region. Improvements to research infrastructure will provide modern biotechnology to researchers in the Caucasus region, including next generation sequencing (NGS) and real time PCR. Currently, these technologies are not available to scientists in the region working on biodiversity and species conservation. Because the laboratory also serves as a teaching facility providing training to students and researchers, this enhanced research capacity will also have a large impact on the technical training available to Georgian students and scientists. The research undertaken in this joint venture will foster ongoing collaboration between the partners, and provide opportunities for continuing exploration of biodiversity in the Caucasus, a recognized biodiversity hotspot. The targeted research contained within this proposal will explore cryptic refugial areas within the Caucasus, to test hypotheses about the historical provenance of the extraordinarily high levels of species endemism in the region.

• Prof. Dr. Bernhard Misof

  Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und
  Museum Alexander Koenig Leibniz-Institut
  für Biodiversität der Tiere
  Bonn
  

• Dr. Cort Anderson

  Ilia State University
  Institute of Ecology
  Tbilisi
  Georgien
  

• Prof. Dr. David Tarkhnishvili

  Ilia State University
  Instiute of Ecology
  Tbilisi
  Georgien
  

• Dr. Jonas Astrin

  Zoologisches Forschungsinstitut und
  Museum Alexander Koenig Leibniz-Institut
  für Biodiversität der Tiere
  Bonn