Today, June 5th is observed as World Environment Day by the UN General Assembly with the intention of bringing millions of people together in a “shared mission to safeguard and restore our planet, empowering governments, businesses, communities and individuals to drive sustainable change.”
In the spirit of this annual acknowledgement, we’d like to share how sequencing DNA, which is central to our mission at Wise Ancestors, is critical for helping protect our environment.
It’s come to our attention that many outside academic circles may not be familiar with the concept of environmental DNA (eDNA) and how it can be utilized to draw insights regarding environmental health as well as monitor the impact of rewilding and restoration efforts.
Environmental DNA enables scientists to identify species present in a given environment from sources like water, soil, or air. It’s a non-invasive research method that allows for the detection of all species, both invasive and rare, without the need for direct observation or capture. Sequencing of eDNA to identify many species at once is called metabarcoding, and it can help reveal changes in wildlife communities over time as well as impacts of change in habitat use, climate change and restoration efforts.
eDNA can give scientists invaluable insights on the emergence of invasive species or the decline of native populations, which is vital for ecosystem health and ultimately humanity's wellbeing. For example, eDNA monitoring in the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands identified the invasive red alga Chondria tumulosa before it caused significant damage to coral reef ecosystems.
eDNA sequencing is also rapid and cost effective compared to other biomonitoring methods, which allows for scientists across the world to have access to critical information. This is especially important for us at Wise Ancestors, since our projects sometimes include eDNA analysis both as our genomic approach and as a form of capacity building with Local and Indigenous communities. For instance, one of our Conservation Challenges in Antioquia, Colombia is utilizing eDNA to help understand the diets of two endemic birds, the Antioquia Brushfinch and a newly discovered unnamed Antipitta of the genus of Grallaria. The Antioquia Biomonitores Program, a capacity building program embedded in our Colombian Conservation Challenges, is funding 5 individuals from the Paisa community to be trained in sampling techniques for eDNA analysis along with other skills to decipher key information on the birds and their diets. This program will be an essential contribution to an initiative being developed by Humboldt scientists and Neotropical Innovation called PRO² Systems, a regenerative approach in which the protection of nature is integrated with food production and the support of traditional livelihoods.
Below are educational resources if you wish to dive deeper into the topic of eDNA on this World Environment Day!
- IUCN Issue Brief
- UNESCO launches global eDNA project to study vulnerability of species to climate change at marine World Heritage sites
Learn more about our Wise Ancestors Conservation Challenges and take part in our crowdfunding campaigns here.
