The use of multiplexed simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers for analysis of genetic diversity in African rice genotypes

Rice is an emerging food and cash crop in Eastern Africa. Thousands of germplasm accessions have been introduced from major rice breeding centers, such as the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), and Africa Rice but the genetic variability among the introduced rice germplasm is unknown. Knowledge on genetic diversity would be useful in designing measures for comprehensive breeding and conservation. To address this knowledge gap, 10 highly polymorphic rice simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers were used to characterize 99 rice genotypes to determine their diversity and place them in their different population groups. The SSR markers were multiplexed in 3 panels to increase their throughput. An average of 15.9 alleles was detected, ranging from 6 alleles detected by marker RM7 to 30 by marker RM333. The UPGMA dendogram based on Nei’s genetic distance cluster analysis, revealed 5 genetic groups among the genotypes tested. Analysis of molecular variance indicated that 97% of the diversity observed was explained by differences in the genotypes themselves, and only 3% was due to the sources from which the genotypes were obtained. This study sets the stage for further diversity analysis of all the available germplasm lines using SSR markers to ensure effective utilization and conservation of the germplasm.Keywords: Genetic diversity, simple sequences repeat (SSR) markers, multiplexing, rice genotypes, structure. Abbreviation: IRRI, International Rice Research Institute; SSR, simple sequence repeat; NaCRRI, national crops resources research institute; RAPD, random amplified polymorphic DNA; AFLP, amplified fragment length polymorphisms; RFLP, restriction fragment length polymorphisms; SNP, single nucleotide polymorphisms; BAC, bacterial artificial chromosome; PAC, P1-derived artificial chromosome; PCR, polymerase chain reaction; Ho, heterozygosity; He, heterozygosity

Amylose content and grain appearance traits in rice genotypes

Amylose content (AC) and grain appearance traits of rice ( Oryza sativa L.) represent a major problem of rice marketing in many rice producing areas in the world. In Uganda, cooking, eating and appearance qualities remain undefined in the rice breeding programme. The objective this study was to determine amylose content of rice genotypes, and its relationship with grain appearance traits; and mode of its inheritance in selected rice genotypes. Forty genotypes were planted in two seasons (2015B and 2016A), in alpha lattice design at National Crop Resource Research Institute in Uganda. Seven parents, involving 3 low and 4 intermediate amylose content genotypes selected in 2015B season,were crossed in a half diallel,and the F1 were advanced to F2 generation, which together with parents were planted in the field. Amylose content (AC), kernel width (KW) and kernel length (K/L) to width ratio were affected by both genetic effects and genotype by season (G x S) interactions; while kernel length was mainly affected by genetic factors. Genotypes were grouped into low, intermediate and high amylose content categories depending on the environment where the genotypes were grown. Three genotypes (Namche 1, P62H17 and 1190) had no significant responsesin amylose content in different growing seasons, suggesting that these genotypes were stable. Amylose content correlated weakly and negatively with physical appearance quality traits of the grain; implying that improvement in amylose content would not affect grain size and shape.There were significant differences (P<0.001) among parents for general combining ability (GCA) and among crosses for specific combining ability (SCA) (P<0.5) for amylose content; indicating that both additive and non-additive gene actions were responsible for the inheritance of AC. However, the variance component of GCA was larger than for the SCA, implying that the inheritance of amylose content was more conditioned by the additive gene effect.La teneur en amylose (TA) et les caract\ue9ristiques d\u2019aspect du grain du riz ( Oryza sativa L.) repr\ue9sentent un probl\ue8me majeur de commercialisation du riz dans de nombreuses r\ue9gions productrices de riz dans le monde. En Ouganda, les qualit\ue9s de cuisson, d\u2019alimentation et d\u2019apparence restent ind\ue9finies dans le programme d\u2019am\ue9lioration du riz. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait de d\ue9terminer la teneur en amylose des g\ue9notypes de riz et sa relation avec les caract\ue9ristiques d\u2019apparence du grain; et son mode de transmission dans des g\ue9notypes de riz s\ue9lectionn\ue9s. Quarante g\ue9notypes ont \ue9t\ue9 plant\ue9s au cours de deux saisons (2015B et 2016A), dans la conception de lattice alpha \ue0 National Crop Resource Research Institute en Ouganda. Sept parents, impliquant 3 g\ue9notypes \ue0 faible teneur en amylose et 4 g\ue9notypes s\ue9lectionn\ue9s lors de la saison 2015B, ont \ue9t\ue9 crois\ue9s sur un demi-diall\ue8le et les F1 ont \ue9t\ue9 avanc\ue9s \ue0 la g\ue9n\ue9ration F2, qui a \ue9t\ue9 plant\ue9e avec les parents sur le terrain. La teneur en amylose (TA), la largeur du noyau (LN) et le rapport longueur / longueur du noyau (K / L) sur la largeur \ue9taient affect\ue9s \ue0 la fois par les effets g\ue9n\ue9tiques et par les interactions g\ue9notype par saison (G x S); tandis que la longueur du noyau \ue9tait principalement affect\ue9e par des facteurs g\ue9n\ue9tiques. Les g\ue9notypes ont \ue9t\ue9 regroup\ue9s en cat\ue9gories de teneur faible, interm\ue9diaire et \ue9lev\ue9e en amylose, en fonction de l\u2019environnement o\uf9 les g\ue9notypes ont \ue9t\ue9 cultiv\ue9s. Trois g\ue9notypes (Namche 1, P62H17 et 1190) n\u2019ont pas eu de r\ue9ponses significatives concernant la teneur en amylose au cours de diff\ue9rentes saisons de croissance, ce qui sugg\ue8re que ces g\ue9notypes \ue9taient stables. La teneur en amylose \ue9tait en corr\ue9lation faible et n\ue9gative avec les caract\ue9ristiques de qualit\ue9 de l\u2019apparence physique du grain; ce qui implique que l\u2019am\ue9lioration de la teneur en amylose n\u2019affecterait pas la taille et la forme des grains. Il y avait des diff\ue9rences significatives (p <0,001) entre les parents pour la capacit\ue9 de combinaison g\ue9n\ue9rale (CCG) et entre les croisements pour la capacit\ue9 de combinaison sp\ue9cifique (CCS) (p <0,5) pour la teneur en amylose; indiquant que les actions g\ue9niques additives et non additives \ue9taient responsables de la transmission du TA. Cependant, la composante de variance de la CCG \ue9tait plus importante que celle de la CCS, ce qui implique que la transmission du contenu en amylose \ue9tait davantage conditionn\ue9e par l\u2019effet du g\ue8ne additif

Strengthening Synergies: How Action to Achieve Post-2020 Global Biodiversity Conservation Targets Can Contribute to Mitigating Climate Change

The essential contribution of nature to addressing climate change provides an opportunity to strengthen the links between the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change and the Convention on Biological Diversity. As we move towards the next Conferences of the Parties of both Conventions, there is a need to assess explicitly the role of nature in helping to meet the goals of these agreements efficiently and effectively. This series of reports aims to shed light on this topic by assessing the potential contribution that achieving biodiversity conservation targets can make to climate change mitigation. By doing so, it aims to provide both context and mandate for discussions under both Conventions on the role of nature-based solutions in climate change mitigation and links to biodiversity conservation action

A global map of terrestrial habitat types

We provide a global, spatially explicit characterization of 47 terrestrial habitat types, as defined in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) habitat classification scheme, which is widely used in ecological analyses, including for quantifying species’ Area of Habitat. We produced this novel habitat map for the year 2015 by creating a global decision tree that intersects the best currently available global data on land cover, climate and land use. We independently validated the map using occurrence data for 828 species of vertebrates (35152 point plus 8181 polygonal occurrences) and 6026 sampling sites. Across datasets and mapped classes we found on average a balanced accuracy of 0.77 (+ ¯ 0.14 SD) at Level 1 and 0.71 (+ ¯ 0.15 SD) at Level 2, while noting potential issues of using occurrence records for validation. The maps broaden our understanding of habitats globally, assist in constructing area of habitat refinements and are relevant for broad-scale ecological studies and future IUCN Red List assessments. Periodic updates are planned as better or more recent data becomes available

Labour market adjustment in Europe during the crisis : microeconomic evidence from the Wage Dynamics Network survey

En el contexto de un ajuste continuado de los mercados de trabajo de la UE en respuesta a la gran recesión y la crisis de la deuda soberana, el Sistema Europeo de Bancos Centrales (SEBC) llevó a cabo la tercera ola de la encuesta de la Wage Dynamics Network (WDN) entre 2014 y 2015, como continuación de las dos olas previas realizadas en 2007 y 2009. Esta encuesta recopiló información sobre las prácticas de fijación de salarios a nivel de empresa para 25.000 empresas en 25 países europeos con el objetivo de evaluar cómo las empresas europeas ajustaron los salarios y el empleo en respuesta a las diversas perturbaciones económicas y reformas laborales que tuvieron lugar en la Unión Europea (UE) entre 2010 y 2013. Este documento resume los principales resultados de esta tercera ola de la encuesta de la WDN identificando algunos patrones en los ajustes realizados por las empresas y el impacto de las reformas del mercado de trabajo. El objetivo es esbozar las principales lecciones aprendidas de la encuesta tanto en relación con la respuesta agregada de los mercados de trabajo de la UE a la crisis como sobre la heterogeneidad entre los distintos países europeosAgainst the backdrop of continuing adjustment in EU labour markets in response to the Great Recession and the sovereign debt crisis, the European System of Central Banks (ESCB) conducted the third wave of the Wage Dynamics Network (WDN) survey in 2014-15 as a follow-up to the two previous WDN waves carried out in 2007 and 2009. The WDN survey collected information on wage-setting practices at the firm level. This third wave sampled about 25,000 fi rms in 25 European countries with the aim of assessing how firms adjusted wages and employment in response to the various shocks and labour market reforms that took place in the European Union (EU) during the period 2010-13. This paper summarises the main results of WDN3 by identifying some patterns in firms’ adjustments and labour market reforms. It seeks to lay out the main lessons learnt from the survey in terms of both the general response of EU labour markets to the crisis and how these responses varied across the countries that took part in the surve

Rethinking Transnational Activism through Regional Perspectives: Reflections, Literatures and Cases

Copyright \ua9 The Author(s), 2024. Published by Cambridge University Press on behalf of the Royal Historical Society. This collectively authored article argues for a regional turn in the historical study of transnational activism. By considering not only pan-regional movements but also examples of borderland contexts, transregional connections and diasporic understandings of \u27region\u27, our discussion identifies fresh possibilities for investigating the evolution and functioning of transnational activism. Based on a Royal Historical Society-funded workshop held at and supported by Northumbria University, the article brings together insights from diverse locations and arenas of contestation. The first part considers literatures on three macro-regional settings - South Asia, Western Europe and Latin America - to illustrate the importance of distinctive regional contexts and constructs in shaping transnational activism and its goals. The second part turns to case studies of transnational activism in and beyond Eastern Europe, West Africa, the Caribbean and East Asia. In doing so, it explores very different notions of the regional to identify how transnational activism has both shaped and been shaped by these ideas. Taken together, the two parts highlight the role of regional identities and projects in challenging inequalities and external domination. Our analysis and examples indicate the possibilities of a regionally rooted approach for writing histories of transnational activism

Reaction of rice cultivars to a virulent rice yellow mottle virus strain in Uganda

Rice ( Oryza spp.) has long been an important food staple for many traditional rice growing communities. Key developments in efforts to improve rice production such as the development of NERICA varieties have been widely recognised. Nonetheless, emerging diseases such as the Rice Yellow Mottle Virus sobemovirus (RYMV) undermine dissemination of new technologies and sustained productivity of the crop. The RYMV is highly variable and several resistance-breaking strains have been identified. Appropriate sources of resistance to RYMV should be identified and characterised in order to pyramid genes for both complete and partial resistance. In this study, reaction of nine (9) rice cultivars to RYMV virulent strain in Uganda was determined. Four upland and three lowland NERICA varieties, an O. Sativa lowland variety, Gigante and IR64 were observed. Isolates of RYMV were collected from three "hot-spots" in Uganda (Lira, Luweero and Iganga). The isolate from Iganga was most virulent on RYMV susceptible cultivar (IR64), and thus used to constitute study treatment evaluated in the study. Cultivars were potted and raised in a screenhouse experiment arranged in a randomised complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. Significant differences for relative area under disease progress curve (RAUDPC) (P 640.01) were detected among the cultivars. Similarly, significant positive correlations (P 640.05) were observed between mean disease score and percentage reduction in grain weight and between percentage grain weight and reduction in plant height. Susceptible cultivars were characterised based on premature death, and significantly reduced grain weight and plant height (P 640.01 and P 640.05), respectively. These results demonstrated the aggressive nature of the specific RYMV strain, and provided evidence with regard to the importance of grain weight and plant height in evaluating RYMV disease resistance.Le riz ( Oryza spp.) a \ue9t\ue9 depuis longtemps un aliment de base pour plusieurs communaut\ue9s cultivatrices de riz. Les d\ue9veloppements-cl\ue9s dans l\u2019effort d\u2019am\ue9liorer la production rizicole, tel que le d\ue9veloppement des vari\ue9t\ue9s NERICA, ont \ue9t\ue9 largement reconnus. N\ue9anmoins, l\u2019apparition des maladies telle que le virus de la panachure jaune de type sobemovirus contraint la diss\ue9mination des nouvelles technologies et la productivit\ue9 soutenue de la culture. Le virus de la panachure jaune du riz est tr\ue8s variable et plusieurs souches virulentes ont \ue9t\ue9 identifi\ue9es. De sources appropri\ue9es de r\ue9sistance \ue0 la maladie de la panichure jaune du riz devront \ueatre identifi\ue9es et caract\ue9ris\ue9es afin de pyramider les g\ue8nes pour une r\ue9sistance complete et/ou partielle. Dans cette \ue9tude, la r\ue9action de 9 cultivars de riz au virus virulent de la panachure jaune en Ouganda \ue9tait d\ue9termin\ue9e. Quatre vari\ue9t\ue9s NERICA de montagne et trois vari\ue9t\ue9s NERICA des bas-fonds, ainsi qu\u2019une vari\ue9t\ue9 des bas-fonds de type O. sativa, Gigante et IR64, \ue9taient observ\ue9es. Les isolats du virus de la panachure jaune du riz \ue9taient collect\ue9s des \u201czones dangereuses\u201d de l\u2019Ouganda, notamment Lira, Luwero et Iganga. L\u2019isolat de l\u2019Iganga \ue9tait le plus virulent au cultivar IR64 susceptible au virus de la panachure jaune et donc \ue9tait utilis\ue9 pour constituer le traitement \ue9valu\ue9 dans cette \ue9tude. Les cultivars \ue9taient cultiv\ue9s en pots dans une serre et arranges en blocs al\ue9atoires complets avec trois r\ue9p\ue9titions. Des diff\ue9rences significatives pour la surface relative sous la courbe progressive de la maladie (P 640.01) \ue9taient d\ue9tect\ue9es parmi les cultivars. De fa\ue7on similaire, des corr\ue9lations positives significatives (P 640.05) \ue9taient observ\ue9es entre les moyennes des cotations de la maladie et le pourcentage de r\ue9duction du poids des grains, et entre le pourcentage du poids des grains et la r\ue9duction de la hauteur de plant. Les cultivars susceptibles \ue9taient caract\ue9ris\ue9s sur base de la mort pr\ue9matur\ue9e, et la r\ue9duction significative du poids des grains et la hauteur de plant (P 640.01 et P 640.05), respectivement. Ces r\ue9sultats ont d\ue9montr\ue9 la nature aggressive du virus de la panachure jaune et fournissent l\u2019 \ue9vidence de l\u2019omportance du poids en grains et la hauteur de plants dans l\u2019\ue9valuation de la r\ue9sistance \ue0 la maladie de la panachure jaune du riz

Allelic variations in aroma gene in cultivated rice varieties

Germplasm is a valuable source of genetic diversity that supports crop improvement efforts in any breeding programme but it must first be fully characterised for economically valuable traits before it can be effectively utilised. In rice ( Oryza sativa ), the development of new varieties with improved aroma requires correct phenotyping and prior knowledge of the available genes and alleles governing the aroma trait in the gene pool. Correct phenotyping and genotyping can be achieved using sensory methods and functional markers associated with polymorphisms that define the aroma genes. The objective of this study was to evaluate the aroma status of rice accessions and to assess for the various alleles of badh2 gene using functional markers. A total of 56 rice accessions were evaluated at National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) in Uganda for their aroma using sensory methods and a molecular marker to differentiate between aromatic and non- aromatic accessions. The aromatic accessions were then evaluated for variations within the betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase2 (badh2) gene responsible for aroma in rice using functional markers. Sensory evaluation of aroma identified 23 accessions to be aromatic; while 33 were non-aromatic. Molecular results identified 20 accessions as aromatic; while 36 accessions were non-aromatic. Functional marker analysis indicated the presence of badh2-E7 allele in 20 aromatic accessions within this collection that could be employed in the breeding programme for the rice aromatic trait.Le germoplasme est une source pr\ue9cieuse de diversit\ue9 g\ue9n\ue9tique qui soutient les efforts d\u2019am\ue9lioration des cultures dans tout programme de s\ue9lection, mais il doit d\u2019abord \ueatre enti\ue8rement caract\ue9ris\ue9 pour ses traits \ue9conomiquement pr\ue9cieux avant de pouvoir \ueatre utilis\ue9 efficacement. Dans le riz ( Oryza sativa ), le d\ue9veloppement de nouvelles vari\ue9t\ue9s avec un ar\uf4me am\ue9lior\ue9 n\ue9cessite un ph\ue9notypage correct et une connaissance pr\ue9alable des g\ue8nes et all\ue8les disponibles r\ue9gissant le caract\ue8re aromatique dans le pool g\ue9n\ue9tique. Un ph\ue9notypage et un g\ue9notypage corrects peuvent \ueatre obtenus en utilisant des m\ue9thodes sensorielles et des marqueurs fonctionnels associ\ue9s \ue0 des polymorphismes qui d\ue9finissent les g\ue8nes aromatiques. L\u2019objectif de cette \ue9tude \ue9tait d\u2019\ue9valuer le statut aromatique des accessions de riz et d\u2019\ue9valuer les diff\ue9rents all\ue8les du g\ue8ne badh2 \ue0 l\u2019aide de marqueurs fonctionnels. Un total de 56 accessions de riz ont \ue9t\ue9 \ue9valu\ue9es au National Crops Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI) en Ouganda pour leur ar\uf4me en utilisant des m\ue9thodes sensorielles et un marqueur mol\ue9culaire pour diff\ue9rencier les accessions aromatiques et non aromatiques. Les accessions aromatiques ont ensuite \ue9t\ue9 \ue9valu\ue9es pour les variations au sein du g\ue8ne de la b\ue9ta\uefne ald\ue9hyde d\ue9shydrog\ue9nase2 (badh2) responsable de l\u2019ar\uf4me du riz \ue0 l\u2019aide de marqueurs fonctionnels. L\u2019\ue9valuation sensorielle de l\u2019ar\uf4me a identifi\ue9 23 accessions comme aromatiques; tandis que 33 \ue9taient non aromatiques. Les r\ue9sultats mol\ue9culaires ont identifi\ue9 20 accessions comme aromatiques; tandis que 36 accessions n\u2019\ue9taient pas aromatiques. L\u2019analyse des marqueurs fonctionnels a indiqu\ue9 la pr\ue9sence d\u2019all\ue8les badh2-E7 dans 20 accessions aromatiques de cette collection qui pourraient \ueatre utilis\ue9es dans le programme de s\ue9lection pour le trait aromatique du riz

Genetic analysis of resistance to rice bacterial blight in Uganda

Rice bacterial blight ( Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae ) is a major constraint to rice ( Oryza sativa L.) production in Uganda and as part of strategies to develop resistant cultivars, it is important to evaluate resistance of commonly used cultivars. A full-diallel mating design involving three resistant and three susceptible rice cultivars was used to produce F1 and F2 progenies in a screen-house at the National Crop Resources Research Institute (NaCRRI), Namulonge in Uganda. The parents and F2 populations were challenged with the 64 Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae isolate (UX00) and lesion lengths were scored 21 days after inoculation (DAI). Griffing\u2019s combining ability analysis showed significant specific combining ability (SCA) and non-significant general combining ability (GCA) effects, indicating the preponderance of non-additive gene effects in controlling the resistance to bacterial leaf blight (BLB) in rice. Rice genotypes, NERICA14, NERICA10 and NERICA4 had desirable GCA estimates, and were, therefore, the best general combiners. Crosses CO39 x NERICA10 and NERICA14 x IRAT104 had favorable SCA values. These hybrids are thus, promising in developing the BLB resistant progenies. Significant reciprocal effects indicate the importance of maternal contribution in controlling the BLB virulence. For this, resistant lines can be used as female parents for fear of affecting transfer of resistance to the progenies, and the hybrids and their reciprocals would be handled separately. Low estimates of narrow sense coefficient of genetic determination (NSCGD) (0.9%) and medium broad sense coefficient of genetic determination (BSCGD) estimates (16.4%) highlight the influence of non-additive gene action in controlling the resistance to BLB, confirming an effective selection of superior genotypes at advanced generations when the maximum homozygosity is fixed.Le fl\ue9trissement bact\ue9rien des feuilles du riz ( Xanthomonas oryzae ) constitue une contrainte majeur \ue0 la production du riz ( Oryza sativa L.) en Uganda. L\u2019\ue9valuation de la r\ue9sistance des cultivars commun\ue9ment utilis\ue9s s\u2019av\ue8re n\ue9cessaire comme une des strategies de d\ue9veloppement des cultivars r\ue9sistants. Des cultivars de riz (Oryza sativa L.) dont trois r\ue9sistants et trois susceptibles \ue9taient crois\ue9s en dispositif diall\ue8le complet pour produire des g\ue9n\ue9rations F1 et F2 dans une serre de l\u2019 Institut National de Recherche sur les Resources V\ue9g\ue9tales (NaCRRI) \ue0 Namulonge en Ouganda. Les parents et les populations F2 \ue9taient soumis \ue0 l\u2019isolat UX00 du Xanthomonas oryzae pv.oryzae et les longueurs de la l\ue9sion \ue9taient \ue9valu\ue9es 21 jours apr\ue8s l\u2019inoculation. L\u2019analyse de l\u2019aptitude \ue0 la combinaison par la m\ue9thode de Griffing ont r\ue9v\ue9l\ue9 des effets significatifs de l\u2019Aptitude Sp\ue9cifique \ue0 la Combinaison (ASC) et non significatifs de l\u2019Aptitude G\ue9n\ue9rale \ue0 la Combinaison (AGC), indiquant la pr\ue9pond\ue9rance des effets g\ue9n\ue9tiques non additifs dans le contr\uf4le de la r\ue9sistance au fl\ue9trissement bact\ue9rien des feuilles (FBF). Des g\ue9notypes NERICA14, NERICA10 et NERICA4 avaient des valeurs souhaitables d\u2019AGC, et \ue9taient ainsi des meilleurs combinants pour la r\ue9sistance au FBF. Des hybrides CO39 x NERICA10 et NERICA14 x IRAT104 avaient des valeurs favorables d\u2019ASC. Ils sont donc promettant dans le d\ue9veloppement des descendants r\ue9sistants au FBF. Des effets r\ue9ciproques significatifs indiquent l\u2019importance de la contribution maternelle dans le contr\uf4le de la virulence du FBF. Pour ce faire, des lign\ue9es r\ue9sistantes peuvent \ueatre utilis\ue9es comme parents femelles de peur d\u2019affecter le transfert de la r\ue9sistance aux descendants, et les hybrids ainsi que leur r\ue9ciproques pourraient \ueatre manipul\ue9s s\ue9par\ue9ment. De faibles valeurs (0.9%) du coefficient g\ue9n\ue9tique de d\ue9termination au sens restreint et valeurs moyennes (16.4%) du coefficient g\ue9n\ue9tique de d\ue9termination au sens large accentuent l\u2019influence de l\u2019action g\ue9n\ue9tique non additive dans le contr\uf4le de la r\ue9sistance au FBF, ce qui confirme une s\ue9lection effective des meilleurs g\ue9notypes aux g\ue9n\ue9rations avanc\ue9es quand le maximum d\u2019homozygotie est fix\ue9

A global map of terrestrial habitat types

We provide a global, spatially explicit characterization of 47 terrestrial habitat types, as defined in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) habitat classification scheme, which is widely used in ecological analyses, including for quantifying species’ Area of Habitat. We produced this novel habitat map for the year 2015 by creating a global decision tree that intersects the best currently available global data on land cover, climate and land use. We independently validated the map using occurrence data for 828 species of vertebrates (35152 point plus 8181 polygonal occurrences) and 6026 sampling sites. Across datasets and mapped classes we found on average a balanced accuracy of 0.77 (+¯0.14 SD) at Level 1 and 0.71 (+¯0.15 SD) at Level 2, while noting potential issues of using occurrence records for validation. The maps broaden our understanding of habitats globally, assist in constructing area of habitat refinements and are relevant for broad-scale ecological studies and future IUCN Red List assessments. Periodic updates are planned as better or more recent data becomes available