During the last decades, there has been a marked loss of biodiversity globally. This loss affects species with conservation problems that are in danger of disappearing, but also many other species that are still considered relatively common. In this context, the scientific collections become a tool of great importance, since the deposited material becomes a reference witness of the process of biodiversity impoverishment of the territory.
In the case of collections of animal tissues, their value is in clear growth, since they provide DNA of high quality, that thanks to the new techniques of molecular sequencing and the great advances in the area of the genetics, turn them into a essential tool in research projects of many scientific areas related to biodiversity (taxonomy and systematics, phylogenetics, biogeography ...), but especially with the biology of conservation, allowing to evaluate the entire process of loss of genetic variation that accompanies rarefaction of species.
The Tissue collection began at 2010 after obtaining funding from the Regional Government of Andalusia (Resolution September 30, 2011 from the Ministry of Economy, Innovation and Science, CA900). It is therefore of recent creation, so it is still in the process of growth and consolidation. Its main objective is to organize, conserve and safeguard the funds that integrate it and facilitate its access to the entire scientific community, at present and future. The collection consists of samples of different tissues of numerous animal species.
This material is obtained from donations from research projects belonging to the EBD or external researchers; as well as donations from Centers for Recovery of Threatened Wildlife, Zoological and Environmental Councils. Samples are preserved mainly in deep freezing and fluid (70% ethanol). By freezing at -70 ° C the complete tissue, such as skin, pen, muscle, or complete specimens is preserved if its size permits. Samples donated by projects or by scientists are kept under the same conditions in which they are donated, only admitted if they are in good condition of documentation and conservation. In this sense, the degree of "donation" of tissue to different projects and investigations has been much greater than the entrance of said material by the same ones, also because in a first stages of the collection, and especially by trying to keep the specimen to the maximum without undue aggression, fair and concrete extractions were made only for those projects that requested it.
When the donation is of a complete specimen, the method of conservation depends on the state in which it is on arrival to the DBS. Mainly, muscle tissue sampling is performed. When muscle tissue is broken down, samples of skin, feathers or bone remains are taken. And whenever possible, tissues of the same individual are conserved with different methods of preservation, to guarantee the preservation of the material.
The possibility of extracting DNA from the old specimens preserved in the collections increases the value of these historical specimens and of complete collection, since it makes possible new comparative studies of specimens and past and present populations. Through these techniques, new possibilities of interpretation of the genetic diversity, of the study of the conservation or evolution of the different species or causes of extinction are incorporated.
CONTACT
For more information
Phone:+34 954466700-Scientific Collections