Dr Kathryn Dawkins1, Dr Samantha Bridgwood2, Mr Chris Bird2
1eDNA Frontiers, Curtin University, Perth, Australia, 2Aquatic Pest Biosecurity, Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Perth, Australia
The south-western region of Western Australia has a unique collection of freshwater fauna, with this region recognised as a ‘freshwater ecoregion of the world’. These freshwater species are impacted by anthropogenic-induced stressors such as habitat reduction, increasing salinity, dewatering, agricultural activity, climate change, and increasingly by invasive species. The presence of invasives in this region is well documented, with at least 14 species having established self-maintaining populations. Effectively managing the incursion of invasives relies on early detection, something that can be labour intensive and time-consuming using traditional sampling methods. Utilising eDNA detection methods provides a non-intrusive and sensitive sampling technique, protecting endemic species from sampling impacts while allowing the early detection of invasive species (while they are still at low abundance). As eDNA metabarcoding techniques can detect the presence of multiple species from a single sample, it can provide managers with information on invasive and WA endemic species simultaneously, and ultimately will be able to provide proof of freedom from invasives where eradication attempts have been undertaken. The results of a study that employed both traditional sampling and eDNA metabarcoding in south-western Western Australia will be presented. This study compared the detection of endemic and invasive freshwater fish and crayfish species in an area where eradication has been attempted for four invasive species to test whether eDNA could provide the aforementioned benefits for invasive species monitoring.
Biography:
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