Today, about 1 in 4 freshwater creatures face extinction. Wetlands are disappearing three times faster than forests. Across the globe, water quality is plummeting, polluted by plastic, sewage, mining sludge, industrial and agricultural chemicals and much more.

It’s challenging to study how these stresses are affecting aquatic life. 

Innovations in genetic technology have created a powerful, affordable new tool that we are now testing. The process involves extracting eDNA from genetic material floating in the water — skin, scales, faeces and single-celled organisms, such as bacteria.

By analysing this genetic information, we can detect a wide range of species. We first considered using eDNA for our research in 2018, after several studies demonstrated its power to monitor single species of interest or groups of organisms in rivers and oceans.

Collecting eDNA is easy. One 4-ounce water sample can capture remnant DNA from thousands of aquatic species. This method doesn’t require killing wildlife for identification.

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We believe this new approach represents a revolution for bio-monitoring, expanding our ability to quantify and study freshwater life. It’s also an important new conservation tool, allowing scientists to track changes in populations of endangered or invasive species.

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