Biodiversity at Hidden Villa

In this report we describe a pilot DNA barcoding project at Hidden Villa Farm and Wilderness Center. Silicon Valley Barcode of Life (SVBOL) scientists designed and conducted the project in partnership with Hidden Villa staff to further Hidden Villa's mission of "fostering educational experiences that build connections and inspire a deeper appreciation and respect for nature, food, and one another." Dozens of volunteers gathered for a half-day DNA barcoding bioblitz. They collected more...
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In this report we describe a pilot DNA barcoding project at Hidden Villa Farm and Wilderness Center. Silicon Valley Barcode of Life (SVBOL) scientists designed and conducted the project in partnership with Hidden Villa staff to further Hidden Villa's mission of "fostering educational experiences that build connections and inspire a deeper appreciation and respect for nature, food, and one another." Dozens of volunteers gathered for a half-day DNA barcoding bioblitz. They collected more than three hundred unique arthropod specimens. SVBOL scientists photgraphed and preserved specimens and extracted tissue samples which we sent to the Canadian Center for DNA Barcoding for analysis. The book includes a gallery with photos and natural histories for specimens collected. It opens with a brief history of Hidden Villa's commitment to protecting biodiversity within and beyond the human species, a summary analysis of the biological annihilation being wrought by humans and its perils, a description of collection methods used at Hidden Villa, and a detailed catalog of biodiversity found.