Warming Increases Environmental DNA (eDNA) Removal Rates in Flowing Waters
ABSTRACT The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for aquatic conservation is emerging, but its value is limited by our understanding of how environmental factors like temperature impact eDNA persistence. Although elevated temperatures are known to increase eDNA decay in lakes and ponds, no studies have...
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| Format: | Article |
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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/edn3.70094 |
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| author | Elise D. Snyder Jennifer L. Tank Abagael N. Pruitt Brett Peters Pedro F. P. Brandão‐Dias E. M. Curtis Kyle Bibby Arial J. Shogren Diogo Bolster Scott P. Egan Gary A. Lamberti |
| author_facet | Elise D. Snyder Jennifer L. Tank Abagael N. Pruitt Brett Peters Pedro F. P. Brandão‐Dias E. M. Curtis Kyle Bibby Arial J. Shogren Diogo Bolster Scott P. Egan Gary A. Lamberti |
| author_sort | Elise D. Snyder |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for aquatic conservation is emerging, but its value is limited by our understanding of how environmental factors like temperature impact eDNA persistence. Although elevated temperatures are known to increase eDNA decay in lakes and ponds, no studies have experimentally explored the effect of temperature on eDNA fate in flowing waters where physical removal could obscure the effect of temperature on decay rates. We compared eDNA removal rates in n = 12 indoor, recirculating mesocosms under varying water temperatures (20°C, 23°C, 26°C) and found that, for small eDNA particles (0.2–1.0 μm), removal rates were higher at the warmest temperature (Tukey's post hoc, p ≤ 0.03) while removal rates were consistent across temperatures for larger eDNA particles (> 1.0 μm, Tukey's, p > 0.05). Consequently, smaller eDNA particles were removed faster than larger particles at 26°C and 23°C (Tukey's, p < 0.001) compared to 20°C (Tukey's, p = 0.01), resulting in an increase in the proportion of the eDNA sample made up of small particles with downstream transport for the two warmer temperatures (beta linear model, p < 0.001). This suggests eDNA removal in streams reflects a complex interplay between physical trapping and microbial degradation influenced by temperature. Consequently, differences in temperature between geographic locations, seasons, and climates could impact the fate and interpretation of eDNA, even in flowing waters where physical removal contributes substantially to eDNA fate. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-bdb471f60deb4113bd46d939af52e3ea |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2637-4943 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Environmental DNA |
| spelling | doaj-art-bdb471f60deb4113bd46d939af52e3ea2025-08-20T03:26:48ZengWileyEnvironmental DNA2637-49432025-05-0173n/an/a10.1002/edn3.70094Warming Increases Environmental DNA (eDNA) Removal Rates in Flowing WatersElise D. Snyder0Jennifer L. Tank1Abagael N. Pruitt2Brett Peters3Pedro F. P. Brandão‐Dias4E. M. Curtis5Kyle Bibby6Arial J. Shogren7Diogo Bolster8Scott P. Egan9Gary A. Lamberti10Department of Biological Sciences University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USADepartment of Biological Sciences University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USADepartment of Biological Sciences University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USAEnvironmental Change Initiative University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USADepartment of BioSciences Rice University Houston Texas USADepartment of Biological Sciences University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USADepartment of Civil & Environmental Engineering & Earth Science University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USADepartment of Biological Sciences The University of Alabama Science and Engineering Complex Tuscaloosa Alabama USADepartment of Biological Sciences University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USADepartment of BioSciences Rice University Houston Texas USADepartment of Biological Sciences University of Notre Dame Notre Dame Indiana USAABSTRACT The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) for aquatic conservation is emerging, but its value is limited by our understanding of how environmental factors like temperature impact eDNA persistence. Although elevated temperatures are known to increase eDNA decay in lakes and ponds, no studies have experimentally explored the effect of temperature on eDNA fate in flowing waters where physical removal could obscure the effect of temperature on decay rates. We compared eDNA removal rates in n = 12 indoor, recirculating mesocosms under varying water temperatures (20°C, 23°C, 26°C) and found that, for small eDNA particles (0.2–1.0 μm), removal rates were higher at the warmest temperature (Tukey's post hoc, p ≤ 0.03) while removal rates were consistent across temperatures for larger eDNA particles (> 1.0 μm, Tukey's, p > 0.05). Consequently, smaller eDNA particles were removed faster than larger particles at 26°C and 23°C (Tukey's, p < 0.001) compared to 20°C (Tukey's, p = 0.01), resulting in an increase in the proportion of the eDNA sample made up of small particles with downstream transport for the two warmer temperatures (beta linear model, p < 0.001). This suggests eDNA removal in streams reflects a complex interplay between physical trapping and microbial degradation influenced by temperature. Consequently, differences in temperature between geographic locations, seasons, and climates could impact the fate and interpretation of eDNA, even in flowing waters where physical removal contributes substantially to eDNA fate.https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70094aquatic biomonitoringclimate changeeDNA ecologyeDNA transportparticle size distribution |
| spellingShingle | Elise D. Snyder Jennifer L. Tank Abagael N. Pruitt Brett Peters Pedro F. P. Brandão‐Dias E. M. Curtis Kyle Bibby Arial J. Shogren Diogo Bolster Scott P. Egan Gary A. Lamberti Warming Increases Environmental DNA (eDNA) Removal Rates in Flowing Waters Environmental DNA aquatic biomonitoring climate change eDNA ecology eDNA transport particle size distribution |
| title | Warming Increases Environmental DNA (eDNA) Removal Rates in Flowing Waters |
| title_full | Warming Increases Environmental DNA (eDNA) Removal Rates in Flowing Waters |
| title_fullStr | Warming Increases Environmental DNA (eDNA) Removal Rates in Flowing Waters |
| title_full_unstemmed | Warming Increases Environmental DNA (eDNA) Removal Rates in Flowing Waters |
| title_short | Warming Increases Environmental DNA (eDNA) Removal Rates in Flowing Waters |
| title_sort | warming increases environmental dna edna removal rates in flowing waters |
| topic | aquatic biomonitoring climate change eDNA ecology eDNA transport particle size distribution |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70094 |
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