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Fine tuning for the tropics: application of eDNA technology for invasive fish detection in tropical freshwater ecosystems

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Robson, H. L. A., Noble, T. H., Saunders, R. J., Robson, S. K.A., Burrows, D. W. and Jerry, D. R. (2016) Fine tuning for the tropics: application of eDNA technology for invasive fish detection in tropical freshwater ecosystems. Molecular Ecology Resources, 16 (4). pp. 922-32. ISSN 1755098X

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Article Link: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/1755-0998.12505

Abstract

Invasive species pose a major threat to aquatic ecosystems. Their impact can be particularly severe in tropical regions, like those in northern Australia, where >20 invasive fish species are recorded. In temperate regions, environmental DNA (eDNA) technology is gaining momentum as a tool to detect aquatic pests, but the technology's effectiveness has not been fully explored in tropical systems with their unique climatic challenges (i.e. high turbidity, temperatures and ultraviolet light). In this study, we modified conventional eDNA protocols for use in tropical environments using the invasive fish, Mozambique tilapia (Oreochromis mossambicus) as a detection model. We evaluated the effects of high water temperatures and fish density on the detection of tilapia eDNA, using filters with larger pores to facilitate filtration. Large-pore filters (20 μm) were effective in filtering turbid waters and retaining sufficient eDNA, whilst achieving filtration times of 2-3 min per 2-L sample. High water temperatures, often experienced in the tropics (23, 29, 35 °C), did not affect eDNA degradation rates, although high temperatures (35 °C) did significantly increase fish eDNA shedding rates. We established a minimum detection limit for tilapia (1 fish/0.4 megalitres/after 4 days) and found that low water flow (3.17 L/s) into ponds with high fish density (>16 fish/0.4 megalitres) did not affect eDNA detection. These results demonstrate that eDNA technology can be effectively used in tropical ecosystems to detect invasive fish species. © 2016 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Item Type:Article
Business groups:Animal Science
Keywords:Oreochromis mossambicus Cichlid eDNA filtration Environmental DNA Mozambique tilapia
Subjects:Science > Invasive Species > Animals > Impact assessment
Science > Invasive Species > Modelling > Animal
Aquaculture and Fisheries > Fisheries > Fishery research
Live Archive:01 Jun 2016 04:11
Last Modified:03 Sep 2021 16:50

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