Reference genomes for 20 Finnish species support local-adaptation research
A collaboration involving University of Eastern Finland researchers has released high-quality genome maps for 20 species, including the Finnish brown hare, mountain hare, and Saimaa ringed seal. Work on the Finnish forest reindeer genome is still in progress. The sequences are being added to the European Reference Genome Atlas to help study how organisms adapt to local environments.
The University of Eastern Finland has helped produce reference-grade assemblies for the Finnish brown hare, mountain hare, and Saimaa ringed seal, with the Finnish forest reindeer still being sequenced. In all, 20 species have been published through these collaborations.
The assemblies feed into ERGA, a European effort to map many genomes. Finland hosts roughly 50,000 species and Europe perhaps 100,000; eastern Finnish samples include rare robber flies and endangered insects. Butterfly and moth work is advancing quickly, with over 1,000 of 11,000 genomes completed.
These genome maps could give researchers and conservation managers better tools for studying how Finnish species respond to local conditions and environmental change. Work on hares, the Saimaa ringed seal, and insects may support biodiversity monitoring and species-management decisions, while open ERGA data could help international teams compare adaptations. The benefits are likely indirect and long-term, depending on how the sequences are used and interpreted.