NatureMetrics: Transforming Environmental Impact Assessment through eDNA Metabarcoding Sampling and Analysis

NatureMetrics：通过 eDNA 元条形码采样和分析转变环境影响评估

• 批准号: 133945
• 金额: $ 7.64万
• 依托单位: NATURE METRICS LTD
• 依托单位国家: 英国
• 项目类别: Knowledge Transfer Network
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 英国
• 起止时间: 2020 至 无数据
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://gtr.ukri.org/projects?ref=133945
• 关键词: NatureMetrics; Transforming; Environmental; Impact; Assessment

"**Challenge**Humans rely on biodiversity for survival, yet human activity (fishing, land reclamation, oil/gas exploration) is the number one cause for oceanic biodiversity decline \[NRDC, 2019\]. Data suggests that biodiversity also significantly influences the functioning of seagrass and mangrove ecosystems which provide food and habitat for fisheries, thereby affecting the livelihoods of many people living in coastal areas such as in Inhambane, Mozambique \[Duffy, 2006\]. Seagrass areas have decreased by 51% in areas of Mozambique over 21 years, affecting local communities livelihoods \[Bandeira, 2014; Nordlund, 2013\].Current biodiversity measurement and assessment tools are either;* limited in application and expensive, accessible only by the government, or companies with sufficient finance.* Anecdotal information available from local communities, based on 'netting' (narrow scoped catch data) which lacks the scientific credibility to motivate regulatory change.**Intentions/Activities and Outputs**NatureMetrics is seeking to make eDNA monitoring commercially available for biodiversity assessments in developing countries such as Mozambique. The project aims to identify the feasibility of deploying what is already a successful process/solution in UK/Europe in developing countries to allow local communities, conservation organisations, government and big industry to evaluate biodiversity responses to industry impacts. The project will see the roll-out of the eDNA biodiversity measurement process in collaboration with local laboratories, communities and NGOs to better manage interventions and conservation initiatives.NatureMetrics' cost-effective, low effort eDNA solution identifies and measures biodiversity levels in water systems. It delivers disruptive innovation by providing:1. User-friendly sampling kits allowing aquatic biodiversity data to be collected by anyone, anywhere in the world2. Standardised and validated laboratory workflows , optimised by NatureMetrics, which can be taught to regional partner laboratories3. Probabilistic methods for assignment of taxonomy to ensure accuracy even when reference databases are incomplete**Impacts**The simple sampling process stimulates job creation, and the project will promote training and skill sharing with local laboratories and universities in Mozambique. The data provided will identify and quantify the different species present, allowing for effective restoration and conservation policies to be implemented where required, and promote better measurement of biodiversity loss for corporate commitments. This will be particularly useful to Mozambique where natural gas projects are set to transform the economy, \[FT, 2019\] and where Environmental Impact Assessments will be a requirement of ongoing developments \[Rovuma LNG, 2019\]."

人类依赖生物多样性生存，但人类活动（捕鱼，土地开垦，石油/天然气勘探）是海洋生物多样性下降的头号原因[NRDC，2019]。数据表明，生物多样性还显著影响海草和红树林生态系统的功能，这些生态系统为渔业提供食物和栖息地，从而影响许多生活在沿海地区的人的生计，如莫桑比克的因汉巴内[Duffy，2006]。21年来，莫桑比克的海草面积减少了51%，影响了当地社区的生计\[Bandeira，2014; Nordlund，2013\]。目前的生物多样性测量和评估工具要么;* 应用有限，价格昂贵，只有政府或有足够资金的公司才能使用。*从当地社区获得的传闻信息，基于“网”（范围狭窄的渔获量数据），缺乏推动监管变革的科学可信度。** 自然科学基金会正在努力使eDNA监测在商业上可用于莫桑比克等发展中国家的生物多样性评估。该项目旨在确定在发展中国家部署英国/欧洲已经成功的过程/解决方案的可行性，以允许当地社区，保护组织，政府和大型行业评估生物多样性对行业影响的反应。该项目将与当地实验室、社区和非政府组织合作，推出eDNA生物多样性测量流程，以更好地管理干预措施和保护举措。Naturedom的eDNA解决方案具有成本效益，工作量小，可识别和测量水系统中的生物多样性水平。它通过提供以下服务来实现颠覆性创新：1。方便用户的取样工具包，使世界任何地方的任何人都能收集水生生物多样性数据2。标准化和经过验证的实验室工作流程，由Naturemix进行优化，可以教授给区域合作实验室3。** 影响 ** 简单的抽样过程刺激创造就业机会，该项目将促进培训和与莫桑比克当地实验室和大学的技能分享。所提供的数据将确定和量化现有的不同物种，以便在必要时实施有效的恢复和保护政策，并促进更好地衡量生物多样性损失，以促进公司承诺。这对莫桑比克特别有用，因为天然气项目将改变经济，[FT，2019]并且环境影响评估将是持续发展的要求[Rovuma LNG，2019]。"