Environmental DNA
Can environmental DNA solve the braided river sampling conundrum to better inform management?
Inge’s masters research focused on how environmental DNA could be used as a biomonitoring tool in braided rivers. Braided rivers have a mosaic of different aquatic and terrestrial habitats and these icon rivers are ‘hotspots’ of biodiversity. However, these systems are hard to monitor and manage without visiting multiple locations at great expense, due to the large size and complexity of these rivers.
Inge’s research focused on how sampling environmental DNA from one location of a braided river could provide information relevant to larger scale. The results indicate that eDNA has the potential to become a highly useful biomonitoring tool for complex and dynamic environments.
This new technology has the potential to be deployed by ecologists to undertake monitoring for Assessments of Effects or State of the Environment that are more informative, yet potentially less resource intensive than traditional methods.

Key Contacts

Inge Martens
