GRADUATE STUDENT INTERNSHIP / CO-OP PROJECT FORM
TITLE:
LOCATION:
PROJECT
Evaluate the suitability of existing genetic markers to be used as a forensic timber tracking tool to combat illegal logging
Rome, Italy
TERM:
6.5 weeks
FROM: Flexible (but possibly somewhere
between May-Oct 2015)
NAME:
Marius Ekué / Judy Loo
TITLE:
DIVISION:
Forest Genetic Resources Programme
BRANCH /
SECTION:
ADDRESS:
Bioversity International
PROJECT
SPONSOR
TO:
PhD
Via dei Tre Denari, 472/a
00057 Maccarese (Rome), Italy
EMAIL:
m.ekue@cgiar.org
PHONE:
+60 149970953 / +39 06 61181
TOPIC OR RESEARCH
QUESTION:
(Briefly describe the research
question being addressed
through this project)
KEYWORDS:
(List key words to describe the
field of study and project)
FAX:
Illegal logging is a growing problem especially in the tropics. New forest laws established to control illegal logging require
the declaration of the species and the origin of wood and wood products involved in trade, but there is a lack of reliable
scientific tools to implement the requirements of the forest laws. Genetic markers have been promoted as very promising
forensic tools. The project seeks to review published genetic markers for commercial timber species and to evaluate their
potential suitability for use as forensic tools to verify species and the geographic origin of wood and wood products.
DNA
Barcodes
Timber tracking
Illegal logging
Trade of illegal wood
PROJECT DESCRIPTION &
RELEVANCE:
(Provide an overview of the
context for the internship and
why it is important. Describe the
project, its tangible, intended
outcomes and the role of the
student.)
Overview and Project Details:
Illegal logging and associated trade are causing environmental degradation (loss of biodiversity, habitat destruction, soil
erosion, disruption of water cycles, increased carbon emissions) and deforestation, and are harming legitimate small and
medium-sized enterprises, especially in the tropics. The global annual revenue loss due to illegal timber trade is estimated at
USD 15 billion/year (World Bank, 2012).
New policies (e.g. US Lacey Act; the European Union Timber Regulation of the Forest Law Enforcement, Governance and
Trade; and the Australian Illegal Logging Prohibition Bill) have been implemented to attempt to reduce illegal logging.
New technologies are also developing rapidly for practical use to verify timber species and their geographic origin; important
requirements to prove that wood and wood products traded are from legal sources.
Bioversity International leads the project “Identification of Timber Species and Origins” to coordinate and facilitate
international efforts to reduce illegal logging and associated trade in the international market through the use of DNA and
stable isotope technologies as well as wood anatomy.
DNA is a tamper-proof property of wood that can be used as a forensic tool to verify the taxonomic (family, genus and
species) identity and the geographic origin of wood and wood products along the supply-chain. DNA forensic methods can
be used at any point along the supply chain, including for processed wood.
The verification of geographic origin using DNA is possible through several steps involving (1) the development of gene
markers that show variation within a species following a geographic pattern, (2) the creation of a genetic reference map and
validation by blind test, (3) the comparison of the genetic composition of a test sample with the genetic reference data.
Species identification is verified by DNA ‘barcodes’, short unique sequences that differ among species. There are over 800
commercial timber species. While different gene markers and DNA barcodes are available for many commercial timber
species, their suitability to be used as a forensic tools in timber species identification and timber tracking purposes have not
yet been fully evaluated and tested.
The project will systematically document all gene markers and DNA barcodes published or available in various databases for
selected commercial timber species. The results of this literature review will form the basis of a research proposal to test the
markers in labs to check their utility as forensic tools in species identification and the verification of geographic origin.
The candidate is expected to:

Collect DNA barcodes and sequences from various databases (Barcode of Life, EMBL, NCBI) for selected timber
species.

Conduct a literature review and collect gene markers (microsatellites, SNPs, sequences) for selected timber
species.

Make a preliminary assessment of the suitability of the barcodes, sequences and gene markers to be used as DNA
forensic tools according to criteria provided by Bioversity International.

Write a report of the findings.
Funding Requested from BRITE
$6,000
AVAILABLE FUNDING:
NO
YES
IF YES, THEN LIST AMOUNT:
PROJECT TYPE (Check the relevant type(s) of work to be undertaken for this internship / co-op project)
FIELD WORK
GIS ANALYSIS (potentially if the student has the skills and interest)
RESEARCH PROPOSAL DEVELOPMENT
POLICY ANALYSIS
LITERATURE REVIEW
SURVEY DESIGN
SHORT STUDY / ASSESSMENT
MODEL DEVELOPMENT (research prioritization framework)
DATA COLLECTION
OTHER
please describe:
DATA / STATISTICAL ANALYSIS
EXPECTED DELIVERABLES:
(Summarize the intended
project deliverables, e.g.,
research report, data analyzed,
and presented in a spreadsheet
format, etc.)
QUALIFICATIONS AND
EXPERIENCE:
(List the required and desirable
knowledge and experience)
Revised April 2009
 Excel database of published DNA barcodes, sequences and gene markers of selected commercial timber species.
 Synthetic report of the available barcodes and gene markers of timber species and suitability to be used as forensic
tools
 Knowledge of plant systematics.
 Ability to carry out a literature review including searching in online genetic databases.
 Basic knowledge of molecular markers and /or population genetics are desirable but not essential.