Fishery scientists can determine how many and what species of fish are in a habitat by using eDNA found in water samples as it is shed by ocean animals from scales to waste, according to a March 4 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration news release.
Using techniques from laboratory studies, eDNA can be used to study the biodiversity and abundance of life in the area where the water samples were collected, NOAA Fisheries reported.
“It’s really exciting to bring to reality a ‘space-agey’ type tool with tremendous potential. eDNA technology can augment traditional surveys and provide data that previously weren’t captured,” NOAA Fisheries Howard Lab researcher Daniel Wieczorek said.
eDNA is genetic information shed by marine life through natural processes such as waste excretion or scale shedding.
Laboratory studies have observed the rates at which eDNA is shed by various species of fish. So comparing these rates with the actual amount of eDNA found in the water can show the abundance of these fish in these waters, NOAA Fisheries said.
Future eDNA studies will help scientists make future eDNA studies more accurate so better solutions for fisheries management and preservation can be developed.
“eDNA patterns tell a lot about change in communities over time. This can be applied to understanding human impact on climate change,” NOAA Fisheries Howard Lab researcher Thomas Noji said.
