Over the past 15 years, environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis of macro-organisms has developed significantly and has become an essential tool for surveying the distribution of aquatic organisms. However, eDNA analysis has even greater potential for further development. It would be of great conservation value, especially if the reproductive status could be known. Initially, the detection of breeding signals using eDNA involved the identification of spike signals where DNA levels increased. However, as DNA quantities also vary with biomass and distance from organisms, quantitative changes alone are weak evidence of reproduction. In 2017, a method using the ratio of nuclear to mitochondrial eDNA was introduced, which is thought to provide more direct evidence of reproduction. More recently, methods have been developed to detect reproductive signals using eDNA methylation states. This presentation will outline the progress made in monitoring reproductive activity using eDNA and the challenges that lie ahead.
Dr. Toshifumi Minamoto is a professor at the Graduate School of Human Development and Environment, Kobe University, and currently serves as the president of the eDNA Society. He has been actively involved in basic research on eDNA technology since the dawn of eDNA research of macro-organisms and has published many milestone studies. In recent years, he has focused on efforts to extract information on the behavior and physiology of organisms beyond presence-absence from eDNA. His hobby is volleyball, and he is still an active player and the head coach of the Kobe University volleyball team.