Environmental DNA to Identify Fish Species
Published on by Water Network Research, Official research team of The Water Network in Academic
Scientists develop process to ID fish species present from small water sample
Through only a bucket of water, researchers have developed a new analysis method that can determine the species of fish inhabiting surrounding waters in rivers, ponds and seas.
A team consisting primarily of scientists from the Chiba Prefecture-run Natural History Museum and Institute and Ryukoku University said the new technology can determine what kind of fish reside in certain areas without netting and examining the species there.
According to the researchers, the analysis method will also save on labor and costs needed for studies, because it can identify the fish species in specific areas within a radius of hundreds of meters, using only several liters of water samples.
To identify the aquatic and marine species in the waters, the team used genetic information contained in drifting mucus and excrement from fish, which is known as “environmental DNA.”
Based on the genetic arrangements common among fish, the researchers succeeded in separating out the fish environmental DNA in large amounts. Examining the cultured environmental DNA’s sections that vary among fish species allowed researchers to determine what type of creatures inhabit the waters.
Source: The Asahai Shimbun
Read More Related Content On This Topic - Click Here
Media
Taxonomy
- Ecology
- River Studies
- Environment
- Aquatic Environment
- Environmental