Improved environmental DNA sampling methods for aquatic species monitoring

Hemmera是一家屡获殊荣的全方位服务的加拿大环境咨询公司，参与了不列颠哥伦比亚省许多备受瞩目的项目，这些项目需要对不同的栖息地进行环境影响评估和监测。Hemmera的部分使命是“为客户创造机会，不仅为他们提供技术服务，还提供定制的解决方案和积极的影响”。环境DNA（eDNA）是环境评估和监测领域令人兴奋的创新。不需要直接观察感兴趣的物种，可以从可疑的动物栖息地收集水样，并测试动物细胞脱落的DNA的存在。因此，这种简单、成本效益高、非侵入性的采样方法是一种革命性的技术，有可能提供比传统方法更准确的有关物种的分布数据。Hemmera非常积极地将eDNA的使用纳入其服务基础，然而，目前的水样收集和分析方法并没有针对现场使用进行优化或标准化。通过与维多利亚大学合作伙伴Caren Helbing博士的新合作，该计划将研究Helbing实验室开发的一种简化方法，该方法有望比目前的eDNA方法更简单，更快速，更具成本效益。将进行测量紫外线和pH值的影响的实验，以确定这些环境因素对eDNA检测的影响。这一举措将提供宝贵的信息，可立即用于实地评估中收集的样本。

Hemmera is an award-winning, full-service Canadian environmental consulting firm that has been involved with many high profile projects in British Columbia requiring environmental impact assessments and monitoring of diverse habitats. Part of Hemmera's mission is to "create opportunities for clients by going beyond providing them with technical services and extends to delivering customized solutions and positive impacts". Environmental DNA (eDNA) represents an exciting innovation in environmental assessment and monitoring. Rather than having to directly observe a species of interest, water samples from suspected animal habitats can be collected and tested for the presence of DNA sloughed off from the animal's cells. This simple, cost-effective, non-invasive sampling method therefore is a revolutionary technique that has the potential to provide more accurate distribution data on species of concern than traditional methods. Hemmera is highly motivated to incorporate the use of eDNA into their service-base, however the current methods of collection and analysis of water samples is not optimized or standardized for field use. Through a new collaboration with the University of Victoria partner, Dr. Caren Helbing, the proposed initiative will examine a streamlined method developed in the Helbing lab that promises to be simpler, faster, and more cost effective than current eDNA methods. Experiments measuring the effect of UV light and pH will be undertaken to establish the impact of these environmental factors on eDNA detection. This initiative will provide valuable information that can immediately be applied to samples collected in field assessments.