Miss Starsha Bird1, Bexie Towle2, Te Ao o te Rangi Apaapa2, Manpreet Dhami3, Ang McGaughran1
1University of Waikato, Hamilton, Aotearoa / New Zealand, 2NZ Landcare Trust, , Aotearoa / New Zealand, 3Bioeconomy Science Institute, Lincoln, Aotearoa / New Zealand
Biography:
Starsha Bird is a third-year PhD Candidate at Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato – The University of Waikato. Her tribal affiliations are with Ngāti Maniapoto and Ngāruahine. Bringing together te ao Māori and scientific perspectives, her research aims to strengthen Aotearoa New Zealand’s biomonitoring toolbox.
Abstract:
Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a powerful way to monitor biodiversity changes across space and time. Recent advances include the combined use of different substrates, like airborne DNA (airDNA) and invertebrate-derived DNA (iDNA), with some studies suggesting they may help to describe complex communities more accurately.
We combined water-, air-, and iDNA sampling across a heterogeneous ecological corridor (Taiea te Taiao Ecological Corridor) in the Waikato region of Aotearoa New Zealand. We deployed each eDNA sampler for five days, using passive filter pods for water, marbles and artificial spider webs for air, and vane traps for insects.
Results to date suggest that using multiple environmental substrates detects a wider range of species, with clear distinctions between aquatic and terrestrial systems highlighting their promise for complementary biodiversity discovery. In addition, urban and rural (i.e., open paddocks) areas capture fewer insects compared to native bush, suggesting that scale really matters for species detection across different habitats.
Thus, a combined substrate approach has the potential to inform future restoration efforts and help build a lasting biodiversity catalogue for generations to come.