eDNA for Quantitative Macroorganism Marine Animal Monitoring of Ocean Waves
Obtaining a census of marine life is important to understanding changes in marine ecosystems that result from stressors such as overfishing, ocean acidification, hypoxia, pollution and biological invasions. Traditional monitoring depends on individuals who count marine populations. It is invasive, expensive time-consuming and error-prone. This project proposes to measure marine populations more efficiently by sequencing environmental DNA (eDNA) in water samples that is, evaluating tissue cells and waste shed by marine life to measure the distribution, diversity and abundance of the organisms present. It would fulfill an urgent need for accurate and efficient marine animal monitoring tools. It would be especially useful for identifying the presence of endangered animals, migrating animals, marine mammals or invasive species.
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An innovative tool that examines tissue and cells left in water promises a new way to monitor ocean species.
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Describes innovative eDNA project, funded in part by a Woods EVP grant, that could help track rare & endangered marine species.
As ocean animals swim past, they leave behind DNA. Now, scientists have shown these genetic clues can be used as forensic markers to accurately and easily survey marine life in complex deep-water environments