Revolutionizing organic pollution impact assessment on benthic invertebrate communities using DNA-based methods

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The protection of marine habitats requires appropriate means to consistently and accurately detect impacts ofpollution associated with multiple discharges including municipal wastewater, stormwater, industrial waste andagricultural runoff. Traditional means for determining pollution impact has been through sediment and waterquality monitoring along with evaluating the composition of invertebrate species living in marine sediments.For over 20 years, Biologica Environmental Research Services Ltd. has provided expert species identificationservices based upon taxonomy for government and industry clients. However, this activity is challenging andlabour-intensive; organisms must be painstakingly isolated and carefully catalogued from marine sedimentsamples and are often not intact enough for a taxonomic identification. The cost and time commitment severelylimits the spatial and temporal resolution of taxonomic surveys. Biologica has identified the need for acomplementary capacity for faster, more efficient assessments based upon DNA technologies. Using theextensive biomolecular experience of the Helbing lab, Biologica intends to form a new collaborativerelationship with the University of Victoria with the overall objective of developing a DNA-based toolbox toassess the proportions of animals living in marine sediments as pollution indicators. The creation oftaxonomically-verified protocols would place Biologica as a global leader in the taxonomic services industryand ensure the sustainability of Biologica's core services by providing the tools and training to verifyidentifications using DNA sequences. The proposed project represents an opportunity for Canada to: (1)provide enhanced taxonomy services through targeted capitalization of advances in molecular biology, (2)improve and expand monitoring programs for various industries and municipalities; (3) drive innovation oftaxonomy-based companies encouraging their sustainability and longevity, and (4) improve upon ourunderstanding of the biodiversity of understudied marine habitats along the Pacific Northwestern coast.