The iBOL Consortium presented its BIOSCAN: Illuminating Biodiversity webinar series on February 24th at 10 AM EST with Dr. Michelle van der Bank discussing the National Botanical Garden Malaise Programme (NBGMP) in South Africa. 

The NBGMP is led by the African Centre for DNA Barcoding (ACDB) at the University of Johannesburg, the International Barcode of Life Consortium (iBOL), and South African National Biodiversity Institute (SANBI). The project aims to develop a comprehensive inventory of all arthropod species that can be captured in 22 Malaise traps over one year in South Africa’s 11 National Botanical Gardens. Michelle will discuss the NBGMP as a model to fast-track biodiversity assessment in Botanical Gardens around the world.

Michelle is a professor of Botany and Director of the ACDB. She uses molecular phylogenetics, comparative analyses, and fieldwork to address questions relevant to biodiversity conservation in Africa. Michelle received her PhD in Botany from the Rand Afrikaans University (now University of Johannesburg, South Africa) in 1996.

For more information or if you would like to present a webinar, please contact iBOL’s Communications Team at: media@iBOL.org

The iBOL webinar series is part of a new program to generate discussion, share knowledge, and build community. Subjects reflect one or more of BIOSCAN’s research themes: Species Discovery, Species Interactions, Species Dynamics. Talks could feature fascinating field research sites, novel use of DNA technologies, use or generation of biodiversity data, the intersection of research with emerging social or political issues, or the mobilization of scientific knowledge for greater societal benefit.