Environmental DNA (eDNA) mapping and monitoring of marine fjord resources and biodiversity.
Informations
- Funding country
Norway- Acronym
- -
- URL
- -
- Start date
- 1/1/2020
- End date
- 12/31/2024
- Budget
- 909,339 EUR
Fundings
| Name | Role | Start | End | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marine Resources and the Environment (MARINFORSK) - call 2016 | Grant | - | - | 909,339 EUR |
Abstract
Growing pressures from man-made activities in the fjords, including aquaculture, require dedicated management methods, designed to ensure sustainable use of the fjords. An example is ecosystem-based holistic management. For this purpose, it is important to properly map and monitor fjord resources. To achieve this, we need a new monitoring tool. Environmental DNA (eDNA) is cells and DNA debris that organisms release into the environment. This DNA can be isolated and used for species identification, based on different types of sequencing (Barcoding). Based in a sample from the environment we can identify species composition in the fjord. eDNA has been developed as a cost-effective tool for biological mapping and monitoring in many habitats, but large-scale monitoring of biological diversity and structure in the marine environment has not yet been evaluated. In FISHDIV, we will test eDNA from filtered seawater as a monitoring tool in both fisheries management and impact studies of aquaculture through an optimized sampling design. At Institute of Marine Research (IMR) we conduct annual surveys in the autumn to assess fisheries and biodiversity in the fjords in Northern Norway, but we have little knowledge of annual variations in the fjords. Sampling methods such as trawling are costly, and for each of the fjords we base our monitoring from only a few trawl hauls. This means that rare species, species that avoid trawling or occupy untrawlable habitats can be missed. Thus, we risk an incomplete overview of biodiversity and hence ecosystem structure. eDNA will effectively offer a cost- and time-efficient way to monitor biodiversity in fjords throughout the year, without compromising on data quality. If proven to be valid in fjord habitats, the eDNA approach may contribute to a multidisciplinary approach in marine science and management where traditional and resource-intensive sampling tools limit our capacity to find answers to basic ecological questions.