Correlating environmental DNA and hydroacoustic estimates of biomass and abundance to monitor the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus)
Monitoring long-term spatiotemporal changes in populations of vulnerable species requires non-lethal methods. Here we investigate the utility of environmental DNA (eDNA) for estimating the relative biomass and abundance of the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) in a southeastern Au...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-03-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Fish Science |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frish.2025.1547935/full |
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| author | Meaghan L. Rourke Meaghan L. Rourke Matt K. Broadhurst Matt K. Broadhurst Ashley M. Fowler Julian M. Hughes Joseph D. DiBattista Joseph D. DiBattista Stefan Sawynok Elise M. Furlan |
| author_facet | Meaghan L. Rourke Meaghan L. Rourke Matt K. Broadhurst Matt K. Broadhurst Ashley M. Fowler Julian M. Hughes Joseph D. DiBattista Joseph D. DiBattista Stefan Sawynok Elise M. Furlan |
| author_sort | Meaghan L. Rourke |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Monitoring long-term spatiotemporal changes in populations of vulnerable species requires non-lethal methods. Here we investigate the utility of environmental DNA (eDNA) for estimating the relative biomass and abundance of the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) in a southeastern Australian estuary. During minimal tidal movement, 10 parallel transects at each of 12 sites were surveyed, involving water samples being collected for determining eDNA concentrations of mulloway DNA prior to hydroacoustics being used to estimate their abundance and then biomass. There was no significant linear relationship between eDNA and abundance but there was for biomass, although the direction of differences varied seasonally, with positive and negative regressions observed during autumn and spring, respectively. As non-invasive survey methods, both eDNA and hydroacoustics require further validation, and such efforts should assess the influence of key environmental factors. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-73a323dd106141e291e7e68af16e01ca |
| institution | DOAJ |
| issn | 2813-9097 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Frontiers in Fish Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-73a323dd106141e291e7e68af16e01ca2025-08-20T02:59:46ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Fish Science2813-90972025-03-01310.3389/frish.2025.15479351547935Correlating environmental DNA and hydroacoustic estimates of biomass and abundance to monitor the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus)Meaghan L. Rourke0Meaghan L. Rourke1Matt K. Broadhurst2Matt K. Broadhurst3Ashley M. Fowler4Julian M. Hughes5Joseph D. DiBattista6Joseph D. DiBattista7Stefan Sawynok8Elise M. Furlan9Department of Primary Industries, Narrandera Fisheries Centre, Narrandera, NSW, AustraliaGulbali Institute for Agriculture, Water and Environment, Charles Sturt University, Albury, NSW, AustraliaNSW Department of Primary Industries, Fisheries Conservation Technology Unit, National Marine Science Centre, Southern Cross University, Coffs Harbour, NSW, AustraliaSchool of the Environment, The University of Queensland, Brisbane, QLD, AustraliaNew South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, AustraliaNew South Wales Department of Primary Industries, Sydney Institute of Marine Science, Mosman, NSW, AustraliaSchool of Environment and Science, Griffith University, Southport, QLD, AustraliaAustralian Museum Research Institute, Australian Museum, Sydney, NSW, AustraliaInfoFish Australia, Murarrie, QLD, AustraliaCentre for Conservation Ecology and Genomics, Institute for Applied Ecology, University of Canberra, University Drive, Bruce, ACT, AustraliaMonitoring long-term spatiotemporal changes in populations of vulnerable species requires non-lethal methods. Here we investigate the utility of environmental DNA (eDNA) for estimating the relative biomass and abundance of the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) in a southeastern Australian estuary. During minimal tidal movement, 10 parallel transects at each of 12 sites were surveyed, involving water samples being collected for determining eDNA concentrations of mulloway DNA prior to hydroacoustics being used to estimate their abundance and then biomass. There was no significant linear relationship between eDNA and abundance but there was for biomass, although the direction of differences varied seasonally, with positive and negative regressions observed during autumn and spring, respectively. As non-invasive survey methods, both eDNA and hydroacoustics require further validation, and such efforts should assess the influence of key environmental factors.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frish.2025.1547935/fulleDNAhydroacousticsmullowayfisheriesestuaryqPCR |
| spellingShingle | Meaghan L. Rourke Meaghan L. Rourke Matt K. Broadhurst Matt K. Broadhurst Ashley M. Fowler Julian M. Hughes Joseph D. DiBattista Joseph D. DiBattista Stefan Sawynok Elise M. Furlan Correlating environmental DNA and hydroacoustic estimates of biomass and abundance to monitor the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) Frontiers in Fish Science eDNA hydroacoustics mulloway fisheries estuary qPCR |
| title | Correlating environmental DNA and hydroacoustic estimates of biomass and abundance to monitor the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) |
| title_full | Correlating environmental DNA and hydroacoustic estimates of biomass and abundance to monitor the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) |
| title_fullStr | Correlating environmental DNA and hydroacoustic estimates of biomass and abundance to monitor the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) |
| title_full_unstemmed | Correlating environmental DNA and hydroacoustic estimates of biomass and abundance to monitor the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) |
| title_short | Correlating environmental DNA and hydroacoustic estimates of biomass and abundance to monitor the globally Endangered mulloway (Argyrosomus japonicus) |
| title_sort | correlating environmental dna and hydroacoustic estimates of biomass and abundance to monitor the globally endangered mulloway argyrosomus japonicus |
| topic | eDNA hydroacoustics mulloway fisheries estuary qPCR |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/frish.2025.1547935/full |
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