A submersible eDNA sampler that enables persistent site assessment of biodiversity

Abstract

Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis facilitates the study of biodiversity in aquatic habitats. eDNA samplers automate the sample collection process required for eDNA analysis, reducing the manual labour needed. This thesis describes the development of a novel eDNA sampler capable of self-cleaning and multisample capture and preservation. The submersible eDNA sampler unit was compared to the traditional Niskin Bottle (manual) approach during a transect in Halifax's Bedford Basin. Both approaches yielded comparable results based on the detected bacterial and phytoplankton Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs). The presented eDNA sampler will be a valuable tool for biodiversity surveys in Marine Protected Areas (MPA), wind farm installation, site assessments and coral reef restorations. The eDNA sampler will be a timely technology to aid the fulfillment of the objectives described in the recent Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework (GBF). Nearly 200 countries agreed to adopt the GBF at the United Nations Biodiversity Conference, COP15, Montreal, Canada.