Dr Dianne Gleeson1, Ms Jenn Soroka1, Prof Carolyn Hogg2, Dr Aaron Greenville2, Dr Shaun Wilkinson3
1University Of Canberra, Bruce, Australia, 2University of Sydney, Sydney, Australia, 3Wilderlab, Mirimar, New Zealand
Biography:
Dianne is a geneticist, with 20 +yrs of research experience in the application of DNA technologies for biodiversity and biosecurity outcomes in both New Zealand and Australia. Her career focus has been facilitating the translation of fundamental research into outcomes for end-users. Currently, she is Director of the National eDNA Reference Centre, Deputy Director of the ARC Plant Biosecurity Training Centre, and leads the EcoDNA team at the Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, which is focused on the development of eDNA technologies for invasive species, border biosecurity and biodiversity monitoring.
Abstract:
The Nature Repair Market requires biodiversity data collection that needs to be verifiable, cost effective and to be deployable at scale. Technological solutions offer the ability to provide methods that can deliver the necessary evidenced ecological outcomes of restoration and conservation projects. One technology that is amenable for integration into the Nature Repair Market is eDNA biomonitoring. This is due to the efficiency of obtaining samples, extensive data generation that is taxonomically detailed and the easily scalable aspect that facilitates application across all ecosystems. Before eDNA biomonitoring can be deployed as a verified method for the Nature Repair Market, the scope, process, analysis and interpretation need to be defined which can only be delivered through case examples.
We undertook a pilot trial of eDNA as an easily deployable tool for biomonitoring for the Nature Repair Market. This involved the comparison and amalgamation of camera trapping, acoustic monitoring, active airborne eDNA sampling using novel drone technology, passive airborne eDNA sampling, soil eDNA, and direct vegetation swabbing at the University of Sydney’s Narrabri working crop research farm. A total of 168 samples were collected that were pooled for eDNA metabarcoding based on sample type and sampling period. The eDNA samples were processed by Wilderlab using primer combinations enabling the broadest coverage of biodiversity. The MOTUs returned were extensive with the highest sequence reads from the plant primer combination. The data has provided insights into the efficacy of eDNA biomonitoring for the Nature Repair Market and has highlighted the need for local ecosystem knowledge and location specific reference databases.