Assessing biodiversity by means of genetic analyses (high-throughput sequencing) necessitates comparison of the discovered gene sequences with a reference data bank for identification. A curated gene databank (EukRef) for all eukaryotes with a reliable classification of the organisms shall be established within a universal eukaryotic taxonomic framework, integrating information from relevant genetic markers and classical morphology-based data, and validated by a comprehensive network of taxonomy experts in the UniEuk initiative funded by the Moore Foundation. To provide data for both EukREf and UniEuk, the first “Meeting on Taxonomy, Environmental Diversity, and Functional Ecology” organized by the International Research Coordination Network for Biodiversity of Ciliates took place in Washington DC, USA, from 18th  to 20th September 2016. The aims of this meeting were (i) suggesting a ciliate systematics that is implemented into the new EukRef databank, (ii) discussing which gene sequences from GenBank shall be transferred into the EukRef databank, and (iii) functionally annotating the gene sequences in the EukRef databank so that ecological conclusions can be drawn from environmental sequencing. Sabine Agatha forms together with Denis Lynn and Micah Dunthorn the core group for the taxonomy and systematics of ciliated protists in the UniEuk/EukRef project.

First row (from left): Deo Florence L. Onda (Université Laval, Canada), Ying Yan (Ocean University of China, China), Chip Sisson and Monica Wilson (Smith College, USA), Sabine Agatha (University of Salzburg, Austria), Vittorio Boscaro (University of British Columbia, Canada). Second row (from left): John Clamp (North Carolina Central University, USA), Denis Lynn (University of British Columbia, Canada), George McManus (University of Connecticut, USA), Micah Dunthorn (University of Kaiserslautern, Germany), Luciana Santoferrara (University of Connecticut, USA), David Montagnes (University of Liverpool, UK), Jean-David Grattepanche (Smith College, USA).