The Austrian Barcode of Life (ABOL) initiative was founded in 2014 to systematically document all animal, plant, and fungal species occurring in Austria using DNA barcodes. From the beginning, the coordination of this nationwide initiative has been anchored at and spearheaded by the Natural History Museum Vienna (NHMW). For more than a decade, ABOL has built an inter-institutional network bringing together biological collections, research institutions, protected area authorities, professional societies, and community scientists. ABOL covers all aspects – from data infrastructure and basic research to applied research – and has increasingly become a key player in socially relevant biodiversity documentation and environmental monitoring in Austria.
This report by Szucsich et al. reviews the organisational, infrastructural, and scientific developments of the initiative from 2014 to 2025. Besides creating reference data for Austrian organisms, national and international networks were established, DNA barcoding applications implemented, and participatory formats like the ABOL BioBlitzes developed. ABOL exemplifies a new form of coordinated, integrative biodiversity research. It combines taxonomic expertise with molecular biological methods, openly accessible digital platforms, and societal participation. The outlook discusses the structural prerequisites for ABOL to contribute to the long-term implementation of international biodiversity goals, including targets set by the EU Biodiversity Strategy for 2030. In doing so, ABOL can help address the global challenge of biodiversity loss.
