NORTHDIVeRSITY

Monitoring biodiversity is very time demanding and costly due to the extensive expertise needed to identify species in different environments and the associated laborious field work. Environmental DNA (eDNA), the detection of DNA traces left in the environment by different organisms, has great potential to become an efficient tool in biodiversity monitoring. However, tests of presently used eDNA methods have shown that eDNA tools have not been designed for northern environments, important northern species are missing. Instead, methods identify temperate species that often do not occur in the north.

The Interreg Aurora funded project NorthDIVeRSITY aims to:

pool the current know-how of eDNA methods
identify the biggest needs for eDNA-based monitoring in the north, together with stakeholders
develop or adapt and validate eDNA-based monitoring approaches for northern ecosystems
identify the most urgent needs for improving eDNA-based monitoring and produce best practices for different stages of procedures and sample types.

Making eDNA biomonitoring more accessible…

By collecting and analyzing traces of genetic material left behind in the water, we can detect species without ever seeing them. However, even eDNA collection often relies on complex filtration, where large volumes of water are pumped through filters, a process that’s equipment-intensive, time-consuming, and difficult to scale. We are simplifying eDNA methods to make them easier for communities to monitor habitats affected by environmental change and degradation.

The OMNIeDNA TORRENT river sampler collecting aquatic environmental DNA to monitor local river biodiversity. Video by Patrick Nichols

For instance, we’re testing open-source 3D-printed sampler in Finnish rivers. Simple, efficient, and designed for anyone to use… we’re democratizing eDNA biomonitoring from the Baltic to boreal streams.

The OMNIeDNA CANOPY rain sampler collecting tree through-fall environmental DNA for monitoring local forest biodiversity. Video by Patrick Nichols

Set up a tarp in the forest, catch rain running off the canopy, collect the throughfall with our 3D-printed sampler. Simple as that. We’re using canopy through-fall to find out what’s living above us… just from rain washing off leaves and bark.

Biodiversity Monitoring