Dr Kristen Westfall1, Dr Cathryn Abbott1
1Fisheries And Oceans Canada, Nanaimo, Canada
The potential for eDNA metabarcoding applications to generate positive impacts for the benefit society is so great that enabling broad implementation is now a primary goal. Reference sequences are a challenging and under appreciated element of the eDNA metabarcoding workflow that is vital for translating results into defensible decision-making. Completeness (taxonomic and genomic), quality, and accessibility are three pillars of reference sequences that must be met to establish widespread implementation and defensibility. Here we incorporate these pillars into a roadmap for generating and publishing reference sequences and demonstrate the method with NAMERS (Novel Applied eDNA Metabarcoding Reference Sequence Database), a purpose-built web portal containing reference sequences of the freshwater fishes of British Columbia (Canada).
- Complete mitogenomes and nuclear ribosomal DNA sequences for ~89% of freshwater fish species in BC support multiple end-user needs.
- Pre- and post-sequencing quality control standards increase defensibility and end-user confidence in results.
- Easy accessibility of sequences in a dedicated, purpose-built portal enables use by specialists and non-specialists alike.
We demonstrate the use of NAMERS in a case study of freshwater fish biomonitoring and management of species at risk in Canada, using the three pillars of reference sequences to optimize study design and translate results to managers. Within the global community of practice we are ready to establish a consensus in the way we generate and publish reference sequences as a critical element in transitioning from science to implementation.
Biography:
Dr. Kristen Westfall is a research scientist at the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, Pacific Biological Station. The overarching objectives of my research are to develop and implement eDNA-based tools for managing aquatic species and ecosystems. In addition to developing novel molecular methods for biomonitoring (invasive species, species at risk, marine protected areas), I also work on progressing towards a national framework for eDNA implementation in a regulatory setting. I obtained a PhD in marine biology from Victoria University of Wellington in 2011 and also conducted post-doctoral work at the University of Iceland in evolutionary biology. I have published papers on eDNA-based assays for the management of aquatic species, population genetics, phylogeography, aquatic invasive species, and the molecular taxonomy of marine invertebrates.