Estimating biodiversity across the tree of life on Mount Everest’s southern flank with environmental DNA

Lim, Marisa; Seimon, Anton; Nightingale, Batya R.; Xu, Charles C.Y.; Halloy, Stephan; Solon, Adam J.; Dragone, Nicholas B.; Schmidt, Steven K.; Tait, Alex; Elvin, Sandra; Elmore, Aurora C.; Seimon, Tracie A.

doi:10.1016/j.isci.2022.104848

Cited by 5 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 65 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…Owing to the challenging conditions, very few studies have addressed the issue of biodiversity monitoring in the Himalayan region (Laxmi, Sehgal & Rawat, 2022; Lim et al, 2022; Pascher, Švara & Jungmeier, 2022). This study suggests that the integration of traditional field survey and eDNA‐based approaches can play a key role in assessing freshwater biodiversity in this fragile and challenging ecosystem.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental DNA revealed high accuracy in detection of the Eurasian otter in Himalaya

Jamwal,

Bruno,

Galimberti

et al. 2023

Aquatic Conservation

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

A precise framework of species occurrence and distribution trends is crucial for conservation measures. Traditional survey methods are often labour‐intensive and time‐consuming, and they can be ineffective in detecting the presence of rare and elusive taxa, especially in harsh environments. The effectiveness and feasibility of an environmental DNA (eDNA)‐based approach was tested to detect the occurrence of the semiaquatic Eurasian otter (Lutra lutra) in six rivers in the Trans‐Himalaya, comparing the results with those obtained from a traditional field survey. Water samples were collected and filtered on‐site at 15 locations, from 2,660 to 3,819 m a.s.l. Otter scats were actively searched for at the same locations in a 900 m buffer along the river bank. Fifteen environmental parameters were recorded at each sampling site. After eDNA extraction and target quantitative realt‐time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) assay, statistical analyses were run to explore the relationship between environmental factors and the presence/absence of otters at each site. Otter DNA was found at 73% of sites, whereas traditional field survey results showed that 53% of sites were positive for otters. Results from principal component analysis showed that the sites avoided by otters, as measured through eDNA, were clearly segregated along PC1 and PC2, with both axes explaining 57% of the cumulative variance. The best‐performing generalized linear model suggested that the occurrence of otter eDNA was influenced by channel width, surface velocity, nitrate level, total dissolved solids, and average water depth. The results of this study highlight that, compared with traditional field surveys, eDNA‐based methods increased the detection of positive sites by 20%, thus demonstrating their reliability for monitoring the presence of otters in the study area and providing new insights into the ecology of this species in the Indian Trans‐Himalaya.

show abstract

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Environmental DNA revealed high accuracy in detection of the Eurasian otter in Himalaya

Jamwal,

Bruno,

Galimberti

et al. 2023

Aquatic Conservation

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

Development and Application of a Portable Environmental DNA Test for the Detection of Rafetus swinhoei in Viet Nam

Seimon,

Van Long,

et al. 2024

Environmental DNA

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Swinhoe's (or Yangtze) giant softshell turtle (Rafetus swinhoei) is a large, critically endangered freshwater turtle and considered among the rarest species in the world. As of 2024, only two individuals have been confirmed to remain alive, one at the Suzhou Zoo in China and one in Xuan Khanh Lake, Viet Nam. The only hope for the long‐term survival of R. swinhoei is finding additional, as yet undiscovered, animals that have thus far eluded detection by traditional survey methods. In recent years, numerous studies have been published on the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for species detection and monitoring. This method takes advantage of the persistence of DNA in the environment, such as in water, soil, and air. An organism's DNA is shed into the environment through urine, feces, and the sloughing of skin. Species‐specific quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) testing can be used to detect eDNA in samples collected from the environment. eDNA trials to detect R. swinhoei were initiated by the Asian Turtle Program and Washington State University in 2013. To expand the use of eDNA for species detection by conservationists, we developed and validated a first‐of‐its‐kind innovative point‐of‐detection (POD) qPCR platform for the rapid, onsite detection of R. swinhoei from water samples. Here we show that the portable eDNA test kit can be used for the successful detection of R. swinhoei in a large body of water and that pooling filters may be a useful strategy to reduce test costs and improve detection efficiency. Use of this test can expand the search for R. swinhoei in unexplored and understudied lakes, reservoirs, and other bodies of water where this species may be present and could inform field surveys utilizing eDNA for other threatened species that are rare in nature.

show abstract

eDNA technology reveals fish species diversity and ecological corridor function in large raft mussel aquaculture area in the East China Sea

Li,

Zhang,

Wang

2024

Marine Pollution Bulletin

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Estimating biodiversity across the tree of life on Mount Everest’s southern flank with environmental DNA

Cited by 5 publications

References 65 publications

Environmental DNA revealed high accuracy in detection of the Eurasian otter in Himalaya

Environmental DNA revealed high accuracy in detection of the Eurasian otter in Himalaya

Development and Application of a Portable Environmental DNA Test for the Detection of Rafetus swinhoei in Viet Nam

eDNA technology reveals fish species diversity and ecological corridor function in large raft mussel aquaculture area in the East China Sea

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About