Plants and animals constantly shed DNA into the environment. Studying eDNA can help answer many different conservation questions.
Congratulations to the Duffy Lab who was recently featured in the Science News article:
Stray DNA is all around us. It could revolutionize conservation - Environmental DNA helps scientists keep tabs on wildlife like never before
On a warm, sunny day in April, biologists David Duffy and Jessica Farrell prepare to motor down the Matanzas River on a small boat to catalog the area’s aquatic life. Ripples signal the river’s lazy flow along Florida’s northeastern coast. Birds fly overhead, some settling onto mangroves occupying the river’s edge. The muddy-brown waters obscure most signs of any life in the river.
https://www.sciencenews.org/article/edna-environmental-conservation
Photo: Whitney Team sampling trip on the Matanzas River accompanied by the Science News journalist. Aquatic eDNA samples taken during the trip revealed the presence of many species, including green sea turtles, alligators, manatee, fish and dolphins.