The Australian Microbiome Initiative activities

The Australian Microbiome Initiative is a continental-scale collaborative initiative to create a public resource containing microbial genomic datasets and associated site-specific comprehensive metadata from a range of Australian environments including soils, coastal, marine and freshwater locations, with the goal of engaging a broad base of end users to maximise translation of data to applied outcomes.

Australian Microbiome Initiative sample map (November 2021). Sample extent is from Christmas Island to Antarctica. Colours legend: red = soil (two depths per locations), white = marine (7-10 depths per sample), blue = plant, black = marine host (such as coral, seagrass, sponge), large green = long term marine time series (monthly samples over ~7 depths over 5+ years).

The Initiative undertakes coordinated activities, using standardised protocols, that support a range of research projects from consortium members.

• Initiative core activities
• Protocols
• Research activities
• Publications
• Media

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The creation of this genomic resource involves significant investment from partner organisations and researchers. Though the data is publicly accessible, we have defined the requirements for access and use of the data, as well as appropriate acknowledgements in communications that arise from the initiative consortium’s work as well as for further studies which are supported by data from the initiative.

• Data policy
• Communications policy
• Acknowledgements

If you are interested in joining the consortium or have any queries on the initiative, please look at the Frequently Asked Questions section and/or get in touch through the initiative contacts.