The main theme of GSC16 is Biodiversity Genomics.
Large efforts are underway to sequence much of the biodiversity on Earth. Some focus on particular species (notably humans and other model organisms, or species of economic or ecological significance) and others on particular places or environments. These studies, whether at the organismal or ecosystem scale, increasingly address change over time. There is much potential overlap among these projects and an urgent need to establish common data standards as well as an opportunity to share lessons learned (e.g., biobanking, data policies, technological approaches, informatics platforms, theory and modelling, etc.). GSC 16 will serve as the fourth meeting of the Genomic Observatories Network (GOs 4) and the first international meeting of the Ocean Sampling Day Consortium.