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To monitor the biodiversity of a freshwater habitat, you could camp out by the water and count the rare wildlife. Or you could just scoop up a cup of water. A new Dutch study has found that the DNA traces in a small sample of a body of water can reveal the species that live in it. The work is in the journal Molecular Ecology. [Philip Francis Thomsen et al., "Monitoring endangered freshwater biodiversity using environmental DNA"]
As animals swim through a lake, they leave behind traces of DNA. The more individuals of a particular species, the more DNA of that species will be shed. And be available to be measured.
The researchers tested about 100 European lakes and streams, comparing the DNA evidence to traditional fauna observations. And the small-sample technique enabled them to correctly identify the species and the sizes of their populations.
Measuring biodiversity is an important part of protecting endangered species. This quick and easy method of snagging a water sample, which can be tested at a lab miles away from the site, could refresh the process of species monitoring.
—Sophie Bushwick
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]
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4 Comments
Add CommentFinally, a way to test for the Loch Ness Monster :)
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisExcept that no one knows what Nessie's DNA looks like, so unknown DNA from Loch Ness may belong to Sasquatch for all we know!
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisInteresting way of tracing and monitoring endangering species. But, as a stretch, could this technique one day be used to detect unknown DNA traces too? Almost jokingly, I'd consider testing Loch Ness, in Scotland. If the famed creature does exist, no doubt some traces of its DNA could be detectable. But in a more serious way, the search for large squid, supposedly living in great ocean depths, for example, could use some help from a variation of such technique (for salt water, of course), as the species is notoriously shy. Just an idea. Thanks
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisHow unoriginal of me. Just realized that the two preceding commenters beat me on my oh so clever Nessie 'joke.' No wonder you're reading Scientific American; way out of my league.
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