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Monitoring endangered freshwater biodiversity using environmental DNA.
Mol Ecol. 2011 Dec 13
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16 Feb 2012
Technical Advance
DOI: 10.3410/f.13835958.15273068
Knowing the distribution of species, especially of endangered ones, is crucial to establishing conservation policies. However, its assessment is time-consuming and difficult at large spatial scales. This paper presents an attractive procedure to solve this problem that includes the molecular analysis...Continue reading
Knowing the distribution of species, especially of endangered ones, is crucial to establishing conservation policies. However, its assessment is time-consuming and difficult at large spatial scales. This paper presents an attractive procedure to solve this problem that includes the molecular analysis of environmental DNA in small (mL) freshwater samples.
Though previous studies have assessed the persistence of environmental DNA in freshwater samples {1}, the present study went further in that, besides the analysis of DNA decay and detectability, complete species diversity was tested using next generation sequencing technology. The surprising result was that with a small volume water sample the authors were able to detect all fish and amphibian species, including others living close to the ponds.
Though the authors recognize that monitoring of environmental DNA cannot replace the work done by taxon specialists and that more tests are needed (e.g. on the effect of environmental variables on DNA recovery), the results here presented offer a promising tool for freshwater biodiversity and conservation studies in the future.
Though previous studies have assessed the persistence of environmental DNA in freshwater samples {1}, the present study went further in that, besides the analysis of DNA decay and detectability, complete species diversity was tested using next generation sequencing technology. The surprising result was that with a small volume water sample the authors were able to detect all fish and amphibian species, including others living close to the ponds.
Though the authors recognize that monitoring of environmental DNA cannot replace the work done by taxon specialists and that more tests are needed (e.g. on the effect of environmental variables on DNA recovery), the results here presented offer a promising tool for freshwater biodiversity and conservation studies in the future.
References
1.
Persistence of environmental DNA in freshwater ecosystems.
PLoS One. 2011; 6(8): e23398
PMID: 21858099
DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0023398
Disclosures
None declared
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Sommaruga R: F1000Prime Recommendation of [Thomsen PF et al., Mol Ecol 2011]. In F1000Prime, 16 Feb 2012; DOI: 10.3410/f.13835958.15273068. F1000Prime.com/13835958#eval15273068
F1000Prime Recommendations, Dissents and Comments for [Thomsen PF et al., Mol Ecol 2011]. In F1000Prime, 21 May 2013; F1000Prime.com/13835958
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Freshwater ecosystems are among the most endangered habitats on Earth, with thousands of animal species known to be threatened or already extinct. Reliable monitoring of threatened organisms is crucial for data-driven conservation actions but remains a challenge owing to nonstandardized methods that depend on practical and taxonomic expertise, which is rapidly declining. Here, we show that a diversity of rare and threatened freshwater animals-representing amphibians, fish, mammals, insects and crustaceans-can be detected and quantified based on DNA obtained directly from small water samples of lakes, ponds and streams. We successfully validate our findings in a controlled mesocosm experiment and show that DNA becomes undetectable within 2 weeks after removal of animals, indicating that DNA traces are near contemporary with presence of the species. We further demonstrate that entire faunas of amphibians and fish can be detected by high-throughput sequencing of DNA extracted from pond water. Our findings underpin the ubiquitous nature of DNA traces in the environment and establish environmental DNA as a tool for monitoring rare and threatened species across a wide range of taxonomic groups.
© 2011 Blackwell Publishing Ltd.
DOI: 10.1111/j.1365-294X.2011.05418.x
PMID: 22151771
