Context
To properly manage marine resources and implement protective measures when necessary, information about species populations is key. Currently, this information is obtained from divers’ visual observations, counting and capturing, but this can often fail to include certain rare species or ones that hide in inaccessible locations. Since every living organism leaves DNA in its environment, we can use this to identify each species and detect their presence or recent passage.
Programme
The programme aims to develop environmental DNA methodology as an innovative tool for detecting and identifying marine species. With such a tool, we could assess biodiversity as a whole and more specifically, cryptic species (that are hard to observe, either because they are hidden, nocturnal or morphologically very similar) and fish species that are of economic interest, endangered or invasive.
Phase 1
Environmental DNA methodology is already being used on land and in freshwater, but there are very few studies on how to adapt it for use in a marine environment, where trace DNA is diluted and dispersed in large volumes of seawater, creating an added difficulty. We need to know how much water is required to obtain reliable information. Once the methodology has been developed and mastered, we can simply collect a sample of seawater to recover all the DNA it contains. With this, we can detect which animal or plant species are present or were there recently. Used alongside traditional methods such as diver observations and capture, this methodology would allow us to monitor marine ecosystems by simply collecting water samples.
Phase 2
DNA databases still contain gaps when it comes to marine fauna and flora. Without these sequences, we cannot determine which species are present. This phase involves exchanging data with other facilities working on this type of research programme, so as to catalogue more Mediterranean species. This data bank will include coastal species but also pelagic species, particularly marine mammals. After several sampling campaigns in June and October 2018, initial significant results can be expected by the end of 2018.
Phase 3
This non-invasive method will provide managers of marine areas (institutions, MPAs, policy-makers and scientists) with precise and exhaustive data to support decision-making on how to manage and protect marine ecosystems.
In the years to come, this methodological breakthrough in marine biology will have many applications, such as:
– high-potential, non-invasive detection for biodiversity inventories,
– stock monitoring and estimation,
– early detection and monitoring of invasive species,
– assessing the potential ecosystem services of natural or anthropized sites
– calculating baselines and monitoring trends in biological communities in sensitive areas (lagoons, estuaries, zones receiving effluent from wastewater treatment), or sites that have been either restored (artificial reefs) or developed (ports, seawalls).
Last updated on : 28 March 2019
Partnerships
Financial
Agence de l’Eau Rhône Méditerranée Corse
Scientific
Spygen, a specialised environmental DNA laboratory
History, applications, methodological issues and perspectives for the use of environmental DNA (eDNA) in marine and freshwater environments.Díaz-Ferguson Edgardo E & Gregory Moyer. Rev Biol Trop. (2014)
Sci Total Environ. 2018 Oct 1;637-638:1295-1310. 22. The future of biotic indices in the ecogenomic era: Integrating (e)DNA metabarcoding in biological assessment of aquatic ecosystems. Pawlowski J1, Kelly-Quinn M2, Altermatt F3, Apothéloz-Perret-Gentil L4, Beja P5, Boggero A6, Borja A7, Bouchez A8, Cordier T4, Domaizon I8, Feio MJ9, Filipe AF5, Fornaroli R10, Graf W11, Herder J12, van der Hoorn B13, Iwan Jones J14, Sagova-Mareckova M15, Moritz C16, Barquín J17, Piggott JJ18, Pinna M19, Rimet F8, Rinkevich B20, Sousa-Santos C21, Specchia V19, Trobajo R22, Vasselon V8, Vitecek S23, Zimmerman J24, Weigand A25, Leese F26, Kahlert M27.
Mol Ecol. 2016 Feb;25(4):929-42. Next-generation monitoring of aquatic biodiversity using environmental DNA metabarcoding. Valentini A1, Taberlet P2,3, Miaud C4, Civade R5, Herder J6, Thomsen PF7, Bellemain E1, Besnard A4, Coissac E2,3, Boyer F2,3, Gaboriaud C1, Jean P1, Poulet N8, Roset N9, Copp GH10,11, Geniez P4, Pont D5, Argillier C12, Baudoin JM12, Peroux T12, Crivelli AJ13, Olivier A13, Acqueberge M14, Le Brun M15, Møller PR16, Willerslev E7, Dejean T1.
– Mol Ecol. 2017 Nov;26(21):5872-5895.
Environmental DNA metabarcoding: Transforming how we survey animal and plant communities.
Deiner K1, Bik HM2, Mächler E3,4, Seymour M5, Lacoursière-Roussel A6, Altermatt F3,4, Creer S5, Bista I5,7, Lodge DM1, de Vere N8,9, Pfrender ME10, Bernatchez L6.