Biodiversity monitoring company NatureMetrics has launched a “revolutionary” system for sampling environmental DNA (eDNA) in marine and freshwater environments autonomously, it said on Tuesday.
Created in collaboration with oceanographic instruments manufacturer Dartmouth Ocean Technologies, the system automates the usually manual process of eDNA sampling to access real-time data, UK-based NatureMetrics said in a press release.
“The DOT-NM Autosampler addresses a critical bottleneck in aquatic environmental monitoring by autonomously sampling eDNA – genetic material naturally shed into waters by organisms – over extended deployments without the need for labour-intensive vessel-based campaigns,” said NatureMetrics.
“This groundbreaking capability unlocks safe, cost-effective and continuous biodiversity data collection even in the most remote aquatic locations.”
Source: NatureMetrics
The DOT-NM Autosampler device can generate eDNA data with “equivalent” species detection to conventional manual sampling, NatureMetrics said.
The self-cleaning Autosampler can remain underwater – attached to a buoy or a ship, for example – for up to a year at depths reaching 200m.
Using proprietary eDNA filter technology, the device aims to identify species in the study area for clients via the NatureMetrics Intelligence Platform.
“This revolutionary sampling technology will open new frontiers in our understanding of aquatic ecosystems,” said Nathan Geraldi, lead developer for ocean solutions at NatureMetrics.
“By finally bridging the gap between eDNA’s transformative potential and scalable biomonitoring, we can generate the biodiversity insights required to drive more sustainable stewardship of our oceans, coastlines and inland waters,” Geraldi said.
Marine biodiversity has proven much more difficult to measure than the variety of species on land, though an increasing number of initiatives around the world have taken up the challenge.
COMMERCIAL DEPLOYMENT
Environmental survey provider Fugro is now planning to commercially deploy the Autosampler over offshore campaigns, several months long, in a bid to reduce costs.
“This Autosampler will enable us to deploy equipment remotely, which is going to enable us to get a much more temporal assessment of biodiversity in the environment,” said Andy Addleton, environmental service line manager at Fugro.
“We see many applications for the eDNA Autosampler, particularly in the offshore wind industry,” Addleton said in a video.
By Thomas Cox – t.cox@carbon-pulse.com
*** Click here to sign up to our twice-weekly biodiversity newsletter ***
