eDNA Surface Sampling for Freshwater Environments

Environmental DNA is rapidly gaining popularity for biodiversity monitoring. Accurate detection, efficiency, ease of use and non-destructive deployment make it an ideal tool. (Read about the benefits of eDNA Surface Sampling here.)

While many successful programs have demonstrated the effectiveness of eDNA sampling at depth or in marine environments, sampling eDNA at the surface of freshwater environments can also enable researchers, conservationists, environmental consultants, compliance officers and program managers to collect more samples in difficult-to-reach aquatic environments. 

In-situ eDNA Surface Sampling in Freshwater Environments  

In-situ eDNA surface sampling provides many opportunities to assess and monitor water quality, habitat and species health. Some of the best uses of eDNA surface sampling in freshwater environments include: 

• Spatial surveys 

• Whole lake biodiversity assessments 

• Invasive and endangered species detection 

• Water quality monitoring 

• Pathogen detection, low-abundance species and forensic monitoring 

• Watershed-scale biodiversity mapping 

• Upstream-downstream impact assessments  
   

In-Situ eDNA Surface Sampling Benefits in Different Freshwater Environments  

In-situ eDNA Surface Sampling instruments have evolved to include portable, rechargeable and hand-held systems that automatically pump water to collect eDNA on a specialized filter. These instruments can accommodate even remote and difficult-to-reach freshwater environments that shift with changing seasonal conditions. Below are some of the best uses for eDNA instruments in freshwater environments: 

Standing Water Systems 

Standing water freshwater environments like lakes, ponds, reservoirs and wetlands are ideal environments to employ in-situ eDNA surface sampling. In these systems, wind can mix surface layers, but a lack of overall circulation can often lead to uneven DNA distribution and distinct detection opportunities in different regions of the water body. Scalable eDNA sampling technologies can uncover the uneven distribution and geographic distribution of different organisms within the study region.   

Flowing Water Systems 

Flowing water in aquatic environments like rivers, streams and canals often transports DNA downstream, making sampling location selection easier to determine. By sampling across transects that move from the bottom to the top of a watershed, researchers and managers can predictively assess the geographic extent or migration of invasive species, or anadromous species like salmon that move up different watersheds to spawn.   

Remote Freshwater Environments  

Remote environments like alpine lakes, backcountry rivers and hard-to-access streams are ideal environments for eDNA surface sampling because compact and rechargeable in-situ filtration instruments can be easily transported into the field for deployment. Without the need for manual filtration or additional equipment, users can collect samples more quickly and efficiently than with manual or passive sampling approaches. 

Drinking Water Reservoirs 

Sampling environments like drinking water reservoirs require ongoing water quality monitoring and early detection of harmful pathogens and algal blooms. In-situ eDNA surface sampling with automated filtration is easy, efficient and reliable for municipal managers, and it reduces sample contamination, costs and time for resource-constrained teams that need to monitor reservoirs on a regular basis.  

Using eDNA surface sampling technology in freshwater systems can significantly improve environmental assessments and ongoing monitoring efforts.

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