Post by Charles Darwin University

A library of aquatic DNA sounds like it’s been lifted from the pages of a sci-fi novel – but this new and very real database will support future biodiversity monitoring in the Northern Territory. A project by CDU created a high-quality DNA sequence reference library to support environmental DNA (eDNA) monitoring- a technique that detects genetic material that organisms leave behind in water through skin cells, mucus or waste. The project, led by CDU Professor of Tropical Biosecurity Maxine Piggott, created a high-quality eDNA library using museum specimens and genomic data from fish monitoring across NT catchments. The library features 142 fish, 22 reptiles, 23 crustaceans, one bivalve, and one mammal species. The initiative is a collaboration between CDU and Museum and Art Gallery of the Northern Territory (MAGNT) the Northern Territory Government’s Department of Lands, Planning and Environment, which funded the project. We learned more about the library from Professor Piggott, MAGNT Curator of Fishes Dr Michael Hammer and MAGNT Head of Science Dr Kirsti Abbott. Read more about it here: http://go.cdu.edu.au/fq5a 📸 by Michael Hammer