![]() We carried out a pilot study (October 2008 to October 2010) in the Molecular Systematics Laboratory at the Herbarium Bogoriense, Research Center for Biology, Indonesian Institute of Sciences (LIPI), Cibinong, West Java, to assess protocols for collecting and processing samples from a wide range of taxa within a single project. The wider aim of our project was to lay the groundwork for an open access digital flora of Gunung Palung National Park, West Kalimantan, Indonesia, that will include DNA barcode data, complete collection information, taxonomic determinations, and high-quality photographs. In our experience, major barriers to in-country work are lack of practical experience using the techniques required to generate high-quality DNA sequence data, insufficient funding coupled with higher costs for reagents, and a lack of infrastructure. The resulting trust is both an investment by the foreign scientists in their own future research opportunities, and a gesture of goodwill that promotes successful science for all involved (Vernooy et al., 2010). By performing lab work in the country of collection, and fully sharing data, results, and authorship with local scientists, foreign scientists act as true collaborators. Beyond the letter of the law, there are also strong ethical and social reasons (in terms of international friendship and collaboration) for foreign scientists to share their expertise and support local efforts. Governments of biodiversity-rich countries have imposed restrictions to limit access to their genetic resources to varying degrees, meaning that in some countries most or all of the molecular biology work must be done in the source country. ![]() The Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD ) and the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing lay out a framework for access to genetic resources and benefit sharing (Davis and Borisenko, 2017). There are, however, strong reasons for generating data in the originating countries. Most of the world's biodiversity is found in countries that have less well-developed scientific research infrastructure, whereas DNA sequence data typically have been generated in countries with relatively low levels of terrestrial biodiversity but well-established infrastructure and a highly trained workforce. There is often a disconnect between the locations where the organisms occur and where the sequence data are generated. As described above, the generation of DNA barcodes has the potential to develop many useful resources for the various stakeholders in these countries, such as identifying species listed in the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES Lahaye et al., 2008) and determining authenticity of traditional Chinese medicines (Han et al., 2016). Even if in-country molecular biology is impossible, local scientists can send tissue samples to the Canadian Centre for DNA Barcoding (CCDB which is part of the iBOL initiative, for DNA extraction and PCR amplification. ![]() Although these organizations have engaged with local partners in biodiversity-rich regions, smaller local barcoding projects still play an important role in contributing to global barcoding initiatives by facilitating the collection of specimens from less accessible locations and filling in gaps for the larger initiatives (Borisenko et al., 2009). ![]() In particular, DNA barcoding has become an increasingly important means to aid efforts to catalog biodiversity, and large consortia affiliated under the International Barcode of Life Project (iBOL ) are working toward this goal. The increasing ease and decreasing costs of obtaining DNA sequence data has accelerated advances in systematics, taxonomy, community ecology, and conservation (reviewed in Kress et al., 2015) food and wildlife forensics (reviewed in Staats et al., 2016) monitoring of agricultural pests and invasive species (Ashfaq and Hebert, 2016) and a myriad of human health applications including identification of parasites and disease vectors (Ondrejicka et al., 2014). DNA barcoding allows the identification of specimens via DNA amplification and sequencing and provides a useful complement to morphology-based identification methods in that it is rapid, needs only a small amount of tissue from any stage of the life cycle, and can be performed without extensive knowledge of the organisms (Hebert et al., 2003). ![]()
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