Missing Middle
The Missing Middle: Connecting Experts on Understudied Taxa to Assess Biases, Gaps, and Priorities for Biodiversity Research in the Genomic Era
- 01.12.2024–01.11.2026
Macro-organisms are vastly overrepresented in biodiversity studies. However, smaller organisms comprise the majority of diversity in an ecosystem. Meso-scale organisms, (e.g. mosses and lichens) in particular still lag behind other groups in biodiversity data and resources for genomic study. We term this pattern ‘the missing middle’. In this project we propose to bring together taxonomic experts on meso-organisms to exchange knowledge, collect biodiversity data, discuss priorities for future meso-biodiversity studies, and add collections and genetic data for these organisms.
Team during field survey in Norway, near Bergen
The project has the following goals:
- Assess biases and key resource gaps in biodiversity studies of meso-scale organisms
- Set priorities and collaboration plans for future projects and resource development
- Collect samples of key understudied taxa for DNA barcoding
- Produce a research article based on data from field workshops and existing occurrences, putting the patterns of meso-biodiversity in a phylogenetic framework
- Conduct outreach activities about meso-biodiversity
Funding
Supported by the Peder Sather Center, An International Research and Educational Collaboration between UC Berkeley and Norway
Published Jan. 22, 2026 2:14 PM
- Last modified Apr. 15, 2026 10:42 AM
