Persistence of DNA in seawater
Seasonal variability in the persistence of dissolved
environmental DNA (eDNA) in a marine system: The role of microbial nutrient
limitation Dr. Ian Salter has a project currently funded by Granskingar
raðið (2018-2020) that
in part will apply the eDNA approach as a component of the Faroese Marine Ecosystem
Observing Study (FAMEOS), which aims to establish an observing baseline for
marine biodiversity and ecosystem structure in Faroese Shelf waters.
Author: Ian Salter, Ph.D., Faroe Marine Research Institute
Understanding
patterns in marine biodiversity and species distribution are important
objectives for the effective conservation and management of marine ecosystems.
It has recently emerged that most marine organisms leave behind traces of DNA
that can be detected in seawater, so called environmental DNA.
Phytoplankton,
fish and even whale sharks have all been detected from seawater eDNA samples.
However, critical questions still remain about how long this DNA survives in
seawater, and therefore over what time and space scales such information might
represent.
In a recently published
study, Dr. Ian Salter from Havstovan/iNOVA, measured the persistence of DNA in
seawater over an entire year in the NW Mediterranean. The results show that DNA persistence is
seasonal, ranging from several weeks in winter to just a few hours in summer.
The persistence of DNA was linked to temperature and bacterial nutrient
limitation and could be predicted from a statistical model. These seasonal variations in DNA persistence
need to be accounted for in eDNA assessments of species distribution. The paper
is open access and can be downloaded from the PLoSONE website.
