The Ecology of eDNA
The ecology of eDNA is defined by Barnes and Turner (2016) as the interaction between the shed DNA of an organism and its environment. Understanding the factors that influence the origin or shedding of eDNA, the physical state of this DNA, the transport and detection of these molecules in a system and finally the degradation, decay or fate of DNA molecules will improve our ability to interpret eDNA data in the field. Our lab addresses these questions by running laboratory experiments to examine shedding and decay rates for various species. We also work in conjunction with the CERC River Studies hydrology and geomorphology group to examine the fate and detection of eDNA in various aquatic systems.
The ecology of eDNA is defined by Barnes and Turner (2016) as the interaction between the shed DNA of an organism and its environment. Understanding the factors that influence the origin or shedding of eDNA, the physical state of this DNA, the transport and detection of these molecules in a system and finally the degradation, decay or fate of DNA molecules will improve our ability to interpret eDNA data in the field. Our lab addresses these questions by running laboratory experiments to examine shedding and decay rates for various species. We also work in conjunction with the CERC River Studies hydrology and geomorphology group to examine the fate and detection of eDNA in various aquatic systems.