Call Scope and Topic documents
The TETTRIs project aims to validate the in TETTRIs developed innovative approaches aligning with the broader innovation dimensions of the TETTRIs partnership. These dimensions include:
Enhance the taxonomic knowledge and understanding of biodiversity, particularly in European biodiversity hotspots.
Develop and test innovative scientific approaches, tools and technologies for taxonomic research, such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, genomic approaches and imaging.
Improve the accessibility and dissemination of taxonomic information, including open-access databases through the species-level indexing of collections, and citizen science initiatives.
Build capacity in taxonomic research and education, particularly in underrepresented European biodiversity hotspots and protected areas, that have historically received less attention, resources, or opportunities in the field of taxonomic research and education.
Promote public awareness and engagement in taxonomic research and biodiversity conservation.
The validation of the developed innovative approaches will be supported by the call for 3PP. These 3PP should be designed to contribute to the innovative approaches that address one or more of the TETTRIs topics:
The 7 TETTRIs topics:
Topic 1. Species-level indexing of pollinator collections (Annex 1).
Topic 2. Improving access to local taxon lists and taxon-related scientific data through pragmatic name- mapping workflows (Annex 2).
Topic 3. The co-development of Artificial Intelligence (AI)-based image recognition for European terrestrial molluscs (Annex 3)
Topic 4. The co-development of AI-based sound recognition of European grasshoppers (Annex 4).
Topic 5. Innovative molecular techniques for taxonomy: integrating genomic tools for the development of cost-efficient genetic markers for species identification and delimitation (Annex 5)
Topic 6. The development of training programs for taxonomic research (Annex 6)
Topic 7. Innovative cross-disciplinary projects focused on involvement of citizen scientists in monitoring biodiversity hotspots (Annex 7).
A collaborative approach between the TETTRIs project consultants and 3PP is required to ensure the validation of these innovative approaches. Each 3PP within the call will be assigned a dedicated TETTRIs consultant for the duration of the project. The aim of having a dedicated TETTRIs consultant is to ensure sufficient collaboration, provide necessary support and consult on various issues.
“TETTRIs consultants” are experts, specialists or trainers from the TETTRIs project who will be actively involved in TETTRIs project activities as stakeholders. Once a 3PP project is approved, collaboration with TETTRIs consultants can be established. To ensure a collaborative approach in 3PP, it is highly recommended to involve them as well. However, their salaries cannot be financed by the 3PP budget. Instead, their expenses for participating in the 3PP activities, such as per diems, travel, meal allowances, travel health insurance, or accommodation, will be covered by the 3PP budget. The involvement of TETTRIs consultants is further explained in the Topics.
In the overall validation of the TETTRIs developed innovative approaches aligning with the broader innovation dimensions of the TETTRIs partnership, the goal is to achieve a practical impact. Therefore, providing a practical impact as specified in the TETTRIs topics (Annex 1-7) for local nodes, European biodiversity hotspots and protected areas, or taxonomy knowledge centres (museums, collections, research centres or universities, etc.) is essential. The expected outcomes are presented in the appendices and table below.
The TETTRIs project will support an indicative number of 10-15 projects. The division of selected projects is based on the overall coverage of the 7 TETTRIs topics by the submitted proposals, the budget division and the quality of the proposals.
In this context, proposals’ budgets may span from 50k to 200k EUROS and have a duration between 6 and 22 months.
A project may touch on many different topics, but, from the seven topics listed below, applicants must select ONLY ONE as the MAJOR focus for their project.
An indicative number of expected projects of the call and the expected outcomes of the TETTRIs topics.
TOPIC | Expected Outcome | Indicative number of projects | WP involved |
Topic 1. Species-level indexing of pollinator collections (Annex 1) | The proposed projects will help develop a general protocol for retrieving fundamental information on the contents of natural history collections. | 3–4 projects | WP 1 and WP2 |
Topic 2. Improving access to local taxon lists and taxon- related scientific data through pragmatic name- mapping workflows (Annex 2) | The projects must demonstrate that by testing and applying the workflows provided by TETTRIs, they have significantly improved the linkage of taxonomic resources to the international backbone services. | ||
Topic 3. The co-development of AI-based image recognition for European terrestrial molluscs (Annex 3) | The project will result in the digitalisation (including images) of a large number of molluscs from several natural history collections. | 3-6 projects | WP 6 |
Topic 4. The co-development of AI-based sound recognition of European grasshoppers (Annex 4) | The projects should help to showcase that training professional and non-professional taxonomists in collecting sound recordings can help improve the model. | ||
Topic 5. Innovative molecular techniques for taxonomy: integrating genomic tools for the development of cost- efficient genetic markers for species identification and delimitation (Annex 5) | The project will result in thorough guidelines and workflows on the practical use and implementation of the genomic tools that leverage taxonomic research in biodiversity hotspots. | ||
Topic 6. The development of training programs for taxonomic research (Annex 6) | The project should implement one, two or three already developed by TETTRIs partners training program(s), that support three different target groups of participants to gain new knowledge, skills, competencies and behaviours in the field of taxonomy for pollinators, freshwater fauna and soil fauna, in European biodiversity hotspots and protected areas. | 3–6 projects | WP4 |
Topic 7. Innovative cross- disciplinary projects focused on involvement of citizen scientists in monitoring biodiversity hotspots (Annex 7) | The project should raise public awareness and engagement with taxonomic research, biodiversity and conservation, with special focus on local/regional particularities. | 1–2 projects | All WPs |
Total | 10–18 projects |
Objectives
Objective 1
To support, guide and supervise the establishment of adequate facilities in a pilot number of local nodes:
(i) enable the transfer of knowledge from educators, fundamental research and collections holders to people working in practice in biodiversity conservation in local nodes, hotspots and protected areas and
(ii) activate mechanisms to engage taxonomy related participation in the field.
Objective 2
Design and deploy a cascade funding mechanism to third party projects (3PP) to test the implementation of the developments under WP1, 4 and 6.
Objective 3
Based on 3PP results and other data, make recommendations on building capacity in taxonomy and ensuring long term sustainability of the novel networks developed under the 3PP.
