Repurposing environmental DNA samples-detecting the western pearlshell (Margaritifera falcata) as a proof of concept.

ABSTRACT: Information on the distribution of multiple species in a common landscape is fundamental to effective conservation and management. However, distribution data are expensive to obtain and often limited to high-profile species in a system. A recently developed technique, environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling, has been shown to be more sensitive than traditional detection methods for many aquatic species. A second and perhaps underappreciated benefit of eDNA sampling is that a sample originally collected to determine the presence of one species can be re-analyzed to detect additional taxa without additional field effort. We developed an eDNA assay for the western pearlshell mussel (Margaritifera falcata) and evaluated its effectiveness by analyzing previously collected eDNA samples that wer

SUBMITTER: Dysthe JC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5838043 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature