Poor data stewardship will hinder global genetic diversity surveillance

Rachel H Toczydlowski; Libby Liggins; Michelle R Gaither; Tanner J Anderson; Randi L Barton; Justin T Berg; Sofia G Beskid; Beth Davis; Alonso Delgado; Emily Farrell; Maryam Ghoojaei; Nan Himmelsbach; Ann E Holmes; Samantha R Queeno; Thienthanh Trinh; Courtney A Weyand; Gideon S Bradburd; Cynthia Riginos; Robert J Toonen; Eric D Crandall

doi:10.1073/pnas.2107934118

Poor data stewardship will hinder global genetic diversity surveillance

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2021 Aug 24;118(34):e2107934118. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2107934118.

Authors

Rachel H Toczydlowski¹, Libby Liggins², Michelle R Gaither³, Tanner J Anderson⁴, Randi L Barton⁵, Justin T Berg⁶, Sofia G Beskid⁷, Beth Davis⁵, Alonso Delgado⁸, Emily Farrell³, Maryam Ghoojaei³, Nan Himmelsbach⁹, Ann E Holmes¹⁰, Samantha R Queeno⁴, Thienthanh Trinh³, Courtney A Weyand¹¹, Gideon S Bradburd¹², Cynthia Riginos¹³, Robert J Toonen¹⁴, Eric D Crandall¹⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of Integrative Biology, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824; rhtoczyd@msu.edu eric.d.crandall@gmail.com.
² School of Natural and Computational Sciences, Massey University, Auckland 0745, New Zealand.
³ Department of Biology, University of Central Florida, Orlando, FL 32816.
⁴ Department of Anthropology, University of Oregon, Eugene, OR 97403.
⁵ Moss Landing Marine Laboratories, California State University Monterey Bay, Moss Landing, CA 95039.
⁶ Marine Laboratory, University of Guam, Mangilao 96910, Guam.
⁷ Department of Integrative Biology, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX 78712.
⁸ Department of Evolution, Ecology, and Organismal Biology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH 43210.
⁹ Department of Natural Science, Hawaii Pacific University, Honolulu, HI 96813.
¹⁰ Department of Animal Science, University of California, Davis, CA 95616.
¹¹ Department of Biological Sciences, Auburn University, Auburn, AL 36849.
¹² Department of Integrative Biology, Ecology, Evolution, and Behavior Program, Michigan State University, East Lansing, MI 48824.
¹³ School of Biological Sciences, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia.
¹⁴ Hawai'i Institute of Marine Biology, University of Hawai'i at Mānoa, Kāne'ohe, HI 96744.
¹⁵ Department of Biology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania, PA 16802 rhtoczyd@msu.edu eric.d.crandall@gmail.com.

Abstract

Genomic data are being produced and archived at a prodigious rate, and current studies could become historical baselines for future global genetic diversity analyses and monitoring programs. However, when we evaluated the potential utility of genomic data from wild and domesticated eukaryote species in the world's largest genomic data repository, we found that most archived genomic datasets (86%) lacked the spatiotemporal metadata necessary for genetic biodiversity surveillance. Labor-intensive scouring of a subset of published papers yielded geospatial coordinates and collection years for only 33% (39% if place names were considered) of these genomic datasets. Streamlined data input processes, updated metadata deposition policies, and enhanced scientific community awareness are urgently needed to preserve these irreplaceable records of today's genetic biodiversity and to plug the growing metadata gap.

Keywords: biodiversity; conservation; genomic; management; metadata.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

Biodiversity*
Data Accuracy*
Eukaryota / genetics*
Genetic Variation*
Genome*
Genomics / methods*
Population Dynamics*

Grants and funding

R35 GM137919/GM/NIGMS NIH HHS/United States