Aquatic Biomonitoring Using Environmental DNA

Overview

Organisms leave traces of their DNA in the environment (eDNA), which can be detected using highly sensitive molecular methods to support various biomonitoring objectives, including the detection of alien invasive species (AIS), species-at-risk (SAR), valued ecosystem component (VEC) species, and pathogens. eDNA techniques also assist in assessing community composition, food web structure, and trophic interactions, such as gut content analysis. The two primary methods for eDNA-based biomonitoring are targeted quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) and high-throughput “metabarcode” sequencing. The qPCR method utilizes a species-specific molecular probe for rapid and accurate detection of one or a few target species, while metabarcoding can identify many species simultaneously.

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