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Katy Klymus, PhD

Dr. Katy Klymus is a Research Biologist at the Columbia Environmental Research Center.

She has a background in evolutionary biology, animal behavior and genetics. Since joining the USGS in 2016, my research focus is on using genetic methods to inform wildlife species management. Currently I am studying environmental DNA methods and how they can be used to assess current levels of and changes in biodiversity. 

Education and Certifications

  • Ph.D. Evolutionary Biology and Ecology, The University of Missouri, 2011

  • B.S. Zoology, The University of Texas, 2000

Science and Products

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Autonomous environmental DNA sampler located in a USGS stream gage

READI-Net: Transitioning eDNA aquatic invasive species surveillance from research to actionable science

USGS researchers are working with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute to optimize autonomous, robotic samplers for detection of DNA fragments shed by biological threats (BT; invasive species, parasites, pathogens) in our nation’s waters. Finding DNA fragments (a method known as environmental DNA sampling) produced by an emerging BT in water is akin to finding a needle in a haystack—many...
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, New York Water Science Center, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Wyoming-Montana Water Science Center, Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory
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READI-Net: Transitioning eDNA aquatic invasive species surveillance from research to actionable science

USGS researchers are working with the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute to optimize autonomous, robotic samplers for detection of DNA fragments shed by biological threats (BT; invasive species, parasites, pathogens) in our nation’s waters. Finding DNA fragments (a method known as environmental DNA sampling) produced by an emerging BT in water is akin to finding a needle in a haystack—many...
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CERC researchers collecting eDNA

Threatened, Endangered or Rare Species Detection

The non-invasive nature of eDNA methods for species detection is a great advantage for monitoring of rare, threatened, or endangered species.
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Columbia Environmental Research Center
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Threatened, Endangered or Rare Species Detection

The non-invasive nature of eDNA methods for species detection is a great advantage for monitoring of rare, threatened, or endangered species.
Learn More
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CERC researchers collecting eDNA

Molecular Section: eDNA Research

Environmental DNA (eDNA) research at CERC focuses on the development and utility of eDNA tools as well as interpretation of eDNA data in real-world management applications. We work with academic, state, federal and international partners in developing standards and best practices for eDNA technology and exploring the factors that affect eDNA detection in the field. Our lab's eDNA research covers...
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Columbia Environmental Research Center
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Molecular Section: eDNA Research

Environmental DNA (eDNA) research at CERC focuses on the development and utility of eDNA tools as well as interpretation of eDNA data in real-world management applications. We work with academic, state, federal and international partners in developing standards and best practices for eDNA technology and exploring the factors that affect eDNA detection in the field. Our lab's eDNA research covers...
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Water chemistry and molecular eDNA data observed in experimental laboratory mesocosms exposed to different nitrogen amendments in the presence or absence of a nitrifier enriched microbial community

Data describe the results of a controlled laboratory mesocosm experiment evaluating the influence of a nitrifier enriched microbial community on silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix) milt eDNA degradation. Parameters described include the concentration results, limit of detection, and limit of quantification of two silver carp specific quantitative PCR assays and water chemistry results of exp
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Columbia Environmental Research Center

Data on the detection of Epioblasma capsaeformis using a designed environmental DNA (eDNA) survey upstream and downstream of known populations in the Clinch River, Tennessee (2019 to 2021)

Data describe a designed environmental DNA (eDNA) survey for the detection of oyster mussel (Epioblasma capsaeformis) from field collected water samples. Parameters described include the limit of detection and limit of quantification of the assay; a list of freshwater mussel species tissue samples that were used to test specificity of the assay; and field collected water samples that were tested t
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Columbia Environmental Research Center

Data on the detection of Cumberlandia monodonta using a designed environmental DNA (eDNA) survey upstream and downstream of known populations in the Big Piney River, Missouri (2020 – 2022) and the Clinch River, Tennessee (2019 to 2021)

Data describe a designed environmental DNA (eDNA) survey for the detection of Spectaclecase (Cumberlandia monodonta, also referred to as Margaritifera monodonta) from field collected water samples. Parameters described include the limit of detection and limit of quantification of the assay; a list of freshwater mussel species tissue samples that were used to test specificity of the assay; and fiel
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Columbia Environmental Research Center

Degradation of Cumberlandia monodonta environmental DNA over time in laboratory conditions using the C.monCOI assay

Data describe a designed environmental DNA (eDNA) experiment for the estimation of eDNA degradation rates for the spectaclecase (Cumberlandia monodonta) from water samples collected in the laboratory. Parameters described include laboratory collected water samples that were tested to estimate concentration of spectaclecase DNA and associated quality assurance data. Samples were collected from expe
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Columbia Environmental Research Center

Genomic variation in the genus Pimephales: raw sequence data and single-nucleotide polymorphisms

The fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) is a key model of vertebrate toxicity. Standardized tests of toxicity in fathead minnow have been developed to support regulatory science, and much is known about the response of the species to various environmental pollutants. However, there is little data on genetic variation within the species, despite the potential influence of genetic background on tox
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Fort Collins Science Center

Longnose darter (Percina nasuta) eDNA survey results from the St. Francis River, Missouri 2018

Data describe a designed environmental DNA (eDNA) survey for the detection of longnose darter (Percina nasuta) in field collected water samples. Parameters described include the limit of detection and limit of quantification of the assay; a list of freshwater fish species tissue samples that were used to test specificity of the assay; and field collected water samples that were tested to detect th
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Columbia Environmental Research Center

Metabarcoding data from freshwater mussel eDNA collected in Clinch River, Virginia 2017

Data from metabarcoding assays to detect a suite of mussel species using mitochondrial DNA regions of the cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and NADH dehydrogenase subunit (ND1) genes sequences.
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Mucket eDNA detection in Wallen's Bend, Clinch river, Tennessee, September 2019

The data describe the technical performance of a designed qPCR assay for the detection of mucket (Actinonaias ligamentina) eDNA from field collected water samples. Parameters described include the sequences of the primers and probes used; the limit of detection and limit of quantification for the assay; a list of freshwater mussels species that were used to test specificity of the assay; and in si
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Columbia Environmental Research Center

eDNA sampling sites in the Grand Canyon region near breccia pipe uranium mines_2015_2016

Geospatial locations of eDNA sampling sites in the Grand Canyon region near breccia pipe uranium mines
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Columbia Environmental Research Center
Filter Total Items: 18

A nitrifier-enriched microbial community contributes to the degradation of environmental DNA

Environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys are a promising alternative to traditional monitoring of invasive species, rare species, and biodiversity. Detecting organism-specific eDNA reduces the need to collect physical specimens for population estimates, and the high sensitivity of eDNA assays may improve detection of rare or cryptic species. However, correlating estimated concentrations of eDNA with speci
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Rachelle Elaine Beattie, Caren C. Helbing, Jacob J. Imbery, Katy E. Klymus, Jonathan Lopez Duran, Catherine A. Richter, Anita A. Thambirajah, Nathan Thompson, Thea Margaret Edwards
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center

The Government eDNA Working Group 6th Annual eDNA Technical Exchange Workshop

The 6th annual Environmental DNA (eDNA) Technical Exchange Workshop was a virtual workshop hosted and coordinated by the Government eDNA Working Group (GEDWG) on January 24–26, 2023. GEDWG is a no-cost consortium that focuses on bringing together stakeholders associated with federal, state, provincial, municipal, and other government and non-government agencies interested in eDNA and related field
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Carol A. Stepien, Richard F. Lance, Katy E. Klymus, Margaret Hunter
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Gaining decision-maker confidence through community consensus: Developing environmental DNA standards for data display on the USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

To advance national efforts for the detection and biosurveillance of aquatic invasive species (AIS), we employed a community consensus process to enable the incorporation of environmental DNA (eDNA) detection data into the U.S. Geological Survey’s (USGS) Nonindigenous Aquatic Species (NAS) database (https://nas.er.usgs.gov/eDNA/). Our goal was to identify minimum standards and best practices for t
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Jason Ferrante, Wesley Daniel, Jonathan (Contractor) Adam Freedman, Katy E. Klymus, Matthew Neilson, Yale Passamaneck, Christopher B. Rees, Adam J. Sepulveda, Margaret Hunter
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Northern Rocky Mountain Science Center, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center

Genome resequencing clarifies phylogeny and reveals patterns of selection in the toxicogenomics model Pimephales promelas

BackgroundThe fathead minnow (Pimephales promelas) is a model species for toxicological research. A high-quality genome reference sequence is available, and genomic methods are increasingly used in toxicological studies of the species. However, phylogenetic relationships within the genus remain incompletely known and little population-genomic data are available for fathead minnow despite the poten
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Katy E. Klymus, Robert A. Hrabik, Nathan Thompson, Robert S. Cornman
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Eastern Ecological Science Center

A comparison of eDNA and visual survey methods for detection of longnose darter Percina nasuta in Missouri

The longnose darter Percina nasuta is a rare and cryptic fish that recently disappeared from much of its historic range. We developed and used an environmental DNA (eDNA) assay for longnose darter paired with visual surveys to better determine the species’ range and compare detection probability between sampling approaches in an occupancy modeling framework. We detected longnose darter eDNA furthe
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Jacob Thomas Westhoff, Leah K. Berkman, Katy E. Klymus, Nathan Thompson, Catherine A. Richter
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Editorial: Environmental DNA innovations for conservation

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis refers to the collection of bulk environmental samples such as water, sediment, or air, and studying the genetic remnants that organisms have shed into their environment to gain information about species presence.
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Matthew A Barnes, Katy E. Klymus, Hiroki Yamanaka
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Metabarcoding assays for the detection of freshwater mussels (Unionida) with environmental DNA

Freshwater mussels of the order Unionida are a widely distributed taxon that are important in maintaining freshwater ecosystems and are also highly imperiled throughout the world. Monitoring of mussel populations with environmental DNA (eDNA) is an attractive alternative to traditional methods because it is noninvasive and requires less labor and taxonomic knowledge from field personnel. We develo
Authors
Katy E. Klymus, Catherine A. Richter, Nathan Thompson, Jo Ellen Hinck, Jess W. Jones
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Development and testing of species-specific quantitative PCR assays for environmental DNA applications

New, non-invasive methods for detecting and monitoring species presence are being developed to aid in fisheries and wildlife conservation management. The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) samples for detecting macrobiota is one such group of methods that is rapidly becoming popular and being implemented in national management programs. Here we focus on the development of species-specific targeted as
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Katy E. Klymus, Dannise Vannesa Ruiz Ramos, Nathan Thompson, Catherine A. Richter
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Reporting the limits of detection and quantification for environmental DNA assays

BackgroundEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is increasingly being used to detect the presence and relative abundance of rare species, especially invasive or imperiled aquatic species. The rapid progress in the eDNA field has resulted in numerous studies impacting conservation and management actions. However, standardization of eDNA methods and reporting across the field is yet to be fully establis
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Katy E. Klymus, Christopher M. Merkes, Michael J. Allison, Caren S. Goldberg, Caren C. Helbing, Margaret Hunter, Craig Jackson, Richard F. Lance, Anna M. Mangan, Emy M. Monroe, Antoinette J. Piaggio, Joel P. Stokdyk, Chris C. Wilson, Catherine A. Richter
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Wetland and Aquatic Research Center , Upper Midwest Environmental Sciences Center, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Metabarcoding of environmental DNA samples to explore the use of uranium mine containment ponds as a water source for wildlife

Understanding how anthropogenic impacts on the landscape affect wildlife requires a knowledge of community assemblages. Species surveys are the first step in assessing community structure, and recent molecular applications such as metabarcoding and environmental DNA analyses have been proposed as an additional and complementary wildlife survey method. Here, we test eDNA metabarcoding as a survey t
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Katy E. Klymus, Catherine A. Richter, Nathan Thompson, Jo Ellen Hinck
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Contaminant Biology, Environmental Health Program, Toxic Substances Hydrology, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Experimental observations on the decay of environmental DNA from bighead and silver carps

Interest in the field of environmental DNA (eDNA) is growing rapidly and eDNA surveys are becoming an important consideration for aquatic resource managers dealing with invasive species. However, in order for eDNA monitoring to mature as a research and management tool, there are several critical knowledge gaps that must be filled. One such gap is the fate of eDNA materials in the aquatic environme
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Richard F. Lance, Katy E. Klymus, Catherine A. Richter, Xin Guan, Heather L. Farrington, Matthew R. Carr, Nathan Thompson, Duane Chapman, Kelly L. Baerwaldt
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Biological Threats and Invasive Species Research Program, Columbia Environmental Research Center

Critical considerations for the application of environmental DNA methods to detect aquatic species

Species detection using environmental DNA (eDNA) has tremendous potential for contributing to the understanding of the ecology and conservation of aquatic species. Detecting species using eDNA methods, rather than directly sampling the organisms, can reduce impacts on sensitive species and increase the power of field surveys for rare and elusive species. The sensitivity of eDNA methods, however, r
Authors
Caren S. Goldberg, Cameron R. Turner, Kristy Deiner, Katy E. Klymus, Philip Francis Thomsen, Melanie A. Murphy, Stephen F. Spear, Anna McKee, Sara J. Oyler-McCance, Robert S. Cornman, Matthew B. Laramie, Andrew R. Mahon, Richard F. Lance, David S. Pilliod, Katherine M. Strickler, Lisette P. Waits, Alexander K. Fremier, Teruhiko Takahara, Jelger E. Herder, Pierre Taberlet
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Ecosystems Mission Area, Forest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center, Fort Collins Science Center, Pacific Northwest Environmental DNA Laboratory

Non-USGS Publications**

Soamiarimampionona, J., Sam, S.S., Dolch, R., Klymus, K., Rabemananjara, F., Robsomanitrandrasana, E., Rakotoarisoa, J.C., and Edmonds, D., 2015, Effects of three diets on development of Mantidactylus betsileanus larvae in captivity: Alytes, v. 32, p. 7-15
Klymus, K.E., and Carl Gerhardt, H., 2012, AFLP markers resolve intra-specific relationships and infer genetic structure among lineages of the canyon treefrog, Hyla arenicolor: Molecular Phylogenetics and Evolution, v. 65, no. 2, p. 654-667
Klymus, K.E., Humfeld, S.C., and Gerhardt, H.C., 2012, Geographical variation in male advertisement calls and female preference of the wide-ranging canyon treefrog, Hyla arenicolor: Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, v. 107, no. 1, p. 219-232
Klymus, K.E., Humfeld, S.C., Marshall, V.T., Cannatella, D., and Gerhardt, H.C., 2010, Molecular patterns of differentiation in canyon treefrogs (Hyla arenicolor): evidence for introgressive hybridization with the Arizona treefrog (H. wrightorum) and correlations with advertisement call differences: Journal of Evolutionary Biology, v. 23, no. 7, p. 1425-1435

**Disclaimer: The views expressed in Non-USGS publications are those of the author and do not represent the views of the USGS, Department of the Interior, or the U.S. Government.

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