Environment

UF researchers use river water DNA to detect wildlife, fungi, and pollution at once

University of Florida biologist David Duffy led research showing that a single water sample from a river can yield DNA from animals, plants, fungi, and human sewage, providing a rapid picture of an ecosystem’s condition. In one case, sampling an Irish river revealed the first known detection of the deadly amphibian fungus B. dendrobatidis in Ireland, exposing an unrecognized threat to the country’s frog population. The same environmental DNA technique also tracked sewage pollution levels over time, capturing a measurable decline in human waste after a new wastewater treatment facility began operating.

Sources: UF News