How to use environmental DNA to measure biodiversity effectively and accurately?

2065 438+08. 7. 29 It is reported that recently, a study published in Communication-Biology, Acidity Promotion of Multi-species Environmental DNA in , describes the persistence of environmental DNA (eDNA) in the natural environment and the factors affecting its persistence. ?

Accurate measurement of biodiversity plays an important role in environmental management, ecosystem function research and endangered animal observation. Molecular measurement of eDNA is a newly developed method to measure biodiversity. Compared with the traditional method, it does not need much professional operation, and it is fast, economical and non-invasive. For example, when analyzing Edna's observation of endangered animals, it is no longer necessary to capture, imprison, sample and put them back, because Edna collected in the environment where animals grow will contain animal DNA. ?

Although eDNA analysis has been widely used, there are still many uncertainties and unknown factors in this method because its samples are taken from some flowing and changing environments, such as lakes and rivers. ?

Simon Creer of Bangor University and his colleagues used four closed ecosystems with high water and acid-base gradient to measure the degree of DNA degradation in various environments in different time and space. They found that Edna's persistence was only 2 days, and the acidic environment would accelerate its degradation. ?

To sum up, their experimental results provide a prediction framework for studying the factors affecting environmental DNA in running water, which is helpful for effective and accurate real-time measurement of biodiversity with eDNA.