Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is a research field that has been developed during the last 10 years and is now ready to be used as method in many types of surveys of the aquatic environment. Less than a liter of water, collected from a lake, bay or river, is enough to detect the presence of all the organisms that has left traces of DNA.
AquaBiotas employees Micaela Hellström and Johan Spens have in their recent eDNA-research worked to evaluate and develop eDNA-methods and the results were published in November. The method of collection and extraction that Micaela has developed has the advantages of being adapted to difficult field conditions far away from electricity and freezers. Furthermore the method allows for extraction of much larger amounts of eDNA than before.
Filtration of eDNA.
Micaela and Johan have successfully performed several surveys of fish, amphibians, birds, invertebrates and diseases using eDNA. AquaBiota can now offer safe sampling and analysis of eDNA and is now working with the first eDNA project at the company. Read more.