Enhancing Environmental DNA Sampling Efficiency for Cetacean Detection on Whale Watching Tours
ABSTRACT Monitoring cetaceans is essential for evaluating ecosystem health and informing the establishment of marine protected areas. Conventional cetacean monitoring techniques, such as photo‐identification, acoustic surveys, and satellite tagging, are often resource‐intensive, costly, and sometime...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Environmental DNA |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70103 |
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| author | Lauren Kelly Rodriguez Belén García Ovide Eleonora Barbaccia Jana Robertson Taïme Smit Pellure Ángela Ceballos‐Caro Caterina Lanfredi Maddalena Jahoda Enrico Villa Arianna Azzellino Marianne Helene Rasmussen Michael Traugott Bettina Thalinger |
| author_facet | Lauren Kelly Rodriguez Belén García Ovide Eleonora Barbaccia Jana Robertson Taïme Smit Pellure Ángela Ceballos‐Caro Caterina Lanfredi Maddalena Jahoda Enrico Villa Arianna Azzellino Marianne Helene Rasmussen Michael Traugott Bettina Thalinger |
| author_sort | Lauren Kelly Rodriguez |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Monitoring cetaceans is essential for evaluating ecosystem health and informing the establishment of marine protected areas. Conventional cetacean monitoring techniques, such as photo‐identification, acoustic surveys, and satellite tagging, are often resource‐intensive, costly, and sometimes intrusive. Environmental DNA (eDNA)‐based methods have emerged as non‐invasive, cost‐efficient complements based on the analysis of genetic material shed into the environment. However, eDNA research is still evolving, with ongoing efforts to optimize field sampling and laboratory protocols. Building on the challenges of conventional monitoring methods, this study sought to refine eDNA sampling parameters to offer a more efficient and scalable approach for cetacean research, leveraging citizen science platforms. From June to October 2023, eDNA samples were collected across three regions in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea aboard whale‐watching vessels or monitoring platforms engaging citizen scientists. Samples were analyzed for total DNA concentration using Qubit fluorometry and target DNA concentration with quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR). Key variables tested in the field included water volume (2, 5, and 10 L), sampling timing (immediately after a whale was present and at 5‐, 10‐, and 20‐min intervals), and three filter types (pore sizes of 1.2, 0.8, and 0.45 μm). Our results illustrate that larger water volumes (10 L), sampling immediately after a whale breach or fluking behavior, and Smith‐Root eDNA filters (1.2 μm pore size) significantly increased eDNA detection probability and signal strength. However, the combination of certain filter types with different water volumes had a significant impact on detection probability, with smaller pore sizes more effectively yielding detections with a lower water volume. These findings provide guidance for future cetacean research initiatives and highlight the potential of eDNA methods in enhancing research and conservation efforts through scalable citizen science‐based initiatives. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-14dbf36b88614ec493b613073ae2fd44 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2637-4943 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental DNA |
| spelling | doaj-art-14dbf36b88614ec493b613073ae2fd442025-08-20T03:26:48ZengWileyEnvironmental DNA2637-49432025-05-0173n/an/a10.1002/edn3.70103Enhancing Environmental DNA Sampling Efficiency for Cetacean Detection on Whale Watching ToursLauren Kelly Rodriguez0Belén García Ovide1Eleonora Barbaccia2Jana Robertson3Taïme Smit Pellure4Ángela Ceballos‐Caro5Caterina Lanfredi6Maddalena Jahoda7Enrico Villa8Arianna Azzellino9Marianne Helene Rasmussen10Michael Traugott11Bettina Thalinger12Applied Animal Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology University of Innsbruck Innsbruck AustriaUniversity of Iceland's Húsavík Research Center Húsavík IcelandDICA Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Politecnico di Milano Milano ItalyApplied Animal Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology University of Innsbruck Innsbruck AustriaOcean Missions Húsavík IcelandNational Microbiology Center Instituto de Salud Carlos III Madrid SpainTethys Research Institute Milano ItalyTethys Research Institute Milano ItalyCetacean Watching Lda Madalena do Pico Azores PortugalDICA Civil and Environmental Engineering Department Politecnico di Milano Milano ItalyUniversity of Iceland's Húsavík Research Center Húsavík IcelandApplied Animal Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology University of Innsbruck Innsbruck AustriaApplied Animal Ecology Research Unit, Department of Zoology University of Innsbruck Innsbruck AustriaABSTRACT Monitoring cetaceans is essential for evaluating ecosystem health and informing the establishment of marine protected areas. Conventional cetacean monitoring techniques, such as photo‐identification, acoustic surveys, and satellite tagging, are often resource‐intensive, costly, and sometimes intrusive. Environmental DNA (eDNA)‐based methods have emerged as non‐invasive, cost‐efficient complements based on the analysis of genetic material shed into the environment. However, eDNA research is still evolving, with ongoing efforts to optimize field sampling and laboratory protocols. Building on the challenges of conventional monitoring methods, this study sought to refine eDNA sampling parameters to offer a more efficient and scalable approach for cetacean research, leveraging citizen science platforms. From June to October 2023, eDNA samples were collected across three regions in the Northeast Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea aboard whale‐watching vessels or monitoring platforms engaging citizen scientists. Samples were analyzed for total DNA concentration using Qubit fluorometry and target DNA concentration with quantitative polymerase chain reactions (qPCR). Key variables tested in the field included water volume (2, 5, and 10 L), sampling timing (immediately after a whale was present and at 5‐, 10‐, and 20‐min intervals), and three filter types (pore sizes of 1.2, 0.8, and 0.45 μm). Our results illustrate that larger water volumes (10 L), sampling immediately after a whale breach or fluking behavior, and Smith‐Root eDNA filters (1.2 μm pore size) significantly increased eDNA detection probability and signal strength. However, the combination of certain filter types with different water volumes had a significant impact on detection probability, with smaller pore sizes more effectively yielding detections with a lower water volume. These findings provide guidance for future cetacean research initiatives and highlight the potential of eDNA methods in enhancing research and conservation efforts through scalable citizen science‐based initiatives.https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70103assayAtlantic OceandetectiondolphinseDNAMediterranean Sea |
| spellingShingle | Lauren Kelly Rodriguez Belén García Ovide Eleonora Barbaccia Jana Robertson Taïme Smit Pellure Ángela Ceballos‐Caro Caterina Lanfredi Maddalena Jahoda Enrico Villa Arianna Azzellino Marianne Helene Rasmussen Michael Traugott Bettina Thalinger Enhancing Environmental DNA Sampling Efficiency for Cetacean Detection on Whale Watching Tours Environmental DNA assay Atlantic Ocean detection dolphins eDNA Mediterranean Sea |
| title | Enhancing Environmental DNA Sampling Efficiency for Cetacean Detection on Whale Watching Tours |
| title_full | Enhancing Environmental DNA Sampling Efficiency for Cetacean Detection on Whale Watching Tours |
| title_fullStr | Enhancing Environmental DNA Sampling Efficiency for Cetacean Detection on Whale Watching Tours |
| title_full_unstemmed | Enhancing Environmental DNA Sampling Efficiency for Cetacean Detection on Whale Watching Tours |
| title_short | Enhancing Environmental DNA Sampling Efficiency for Cetacean Detection on Whale Watching Tours |
| title_sort | enhancing environmental dna sampling efficiency for cetacean detection on whale watching tours |
| topic | assay Atlantic Ocean detection dolphins eDNA Mediterranean Sea |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70103 |
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