On-site environmental DNA

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Animals, as well as all living species, constantly leave traces in the environment in the form of genetic material, which today’s technology allows us to identify (for example in soil and water) and analyze. In itself, it is not new: as early as the late 1980s, in a laboratory in Florida, USA, a group of researchers tried (albeit in a rudimentary way) to make a census of the species present in a specific area through DNA research.

Scientific research track

But now, these tiny amounts of nucleic acids, called environmental DNA or eDNA for short, are becoming a fundamental resource for various fields of scientific research. From ecosystem research to epidemiology to climate change mitigation, a group of molecules of genetic material present in parts of land, air or water is essential for understanding (and therefore protecting) biodiversity, as well as obtaining valuable information for many areas of scientific research.

Water quality analysis in Venice

“Environmental DNA analyses, such as those carried out in the waters of the Venice Lagoon, help us reconstruct the presence of species living in a specific geographical area, to obtain data on ecosystems, pollution and climate change”, explains Lorenzo Zane, professor of ecology at the University of Padua, affiliated to the National Center for the Future of Biodiversity (NBFC) in Palermo. “Research activities allow us to understand the situation and, above all, to protect the health of animals and ecosystems through strategic choices based on solid data”.

This creates a virtuous cycle that helps discover more information, validates other sampling in the same area, and establishes objective assessment criteria for protecting existing species.

Zane (University PhD): “Simpler, more beneficial technology”

However, environmental DNA research does not replace traditional fish research, but rather complements it and has the potential to further enhance traditional research. In recent years, there has been an increasing discussion about eDNA, not only because of its numerous applications, but also and most importantly because of the practicality of the technology: “Environmental DNA technology is simpler than other biodiversity analysis procedures and has advantages in terms of economic training of researchers, time required to actually perform the tests, and standardization of the procedures”, continues Zane.