eProbe: Sampling of Environmental DNA within Tree Canopies with Drones.

Autor: Kirchgeorg S; Environmental Robotics Laboratory, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland.; Swiss Federale Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland., Chang JJM; Department of Biological Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117558, Singapore.; Lee Kong Chian Natural History Museum, National University of Singapore, Singapore 117377, Singapore., Ip YCA; School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington 98105, United States., Jucker M; Environmental DNA, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland., Geckeler C; Environmental Robotics Laboratory, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland.; Swiss Federale Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland., Lüthi M; Ecosystems and Landscape Evolution, ETH Zürch, Zürich 8092, Switzerland., van der Loo E; Environmental DNA, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland., Mächler E; SimplexDNA AG, Winterthur 8404, Switzerland., Franco-Sierra ND; Syndesis Health, Palm Beach Gardens, Florida 33408, United States., Herrera MAG; Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute, Bogotá 111311, Colombia., Pellissier L; Swiss Federale Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland.; Ecosystems and Landscape Evolution, ETH Zürch, Zürich 8092, Switzerland., Deiner K; Environmental DNA, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland.; SimplexDNA AG, Winterthur 8404, Switzerland., Desiderato A; Department of Invertebrate Zoology and Hydrobiology, Faculty of Biology and Environmental Protection, University of Lodz, Lodz 90-136, Poland., Mintchev S; Environmental Robotics Laboratory, ETH Zürich, Zürich 8092, Switzerland.; Swiss Federale Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research WSL, Birmensdorf 8903, Switzerland.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Environmental science & technology [Environ Sci Technol] 2024 Sep 17; Vol. 58 (37), pp. 16410-16420. Date of Electronic Publication: 2024 Sep 05.
DOI: 10.1021/acs.est.4c05595
Abstrakt: Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is a powerful tool for studying biodiversity in forests and tree canopies. However, collecting representative eDNA samples from these high and complex environments remains challenging. Traditional methods, such as surface swabbing or tree rolling, are labor-intensive and require significant effort to achieve adequate coverage. This study proposes a novel approach for unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to collect eDNA within tree canopies by using a surface swabbing technique. The method involves lowering a probe from a hovering UAV into the canopy and collecting eDNA as it descends and ascends through branches and leaves. To achieve this, a custom-designed robotic system was developed featuring a winch and a probe for eDNA collection. The design of the probe was optimized, and a control logic for the winch was developed to reduce the risk of entanglement while ensuring sufficient interaction force to facilitate transfer of eDNA onto the probe. The effectiveness of this method was demonstrated during the XPRIZE Rainforest Semi-Finals as 10 eDNA samples were collected from the rainforest canopy, and a total of 152 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs) were identified using eDNA metabarcoding. We further investigate how the number of probe interactions with vegetation, the penetration depth, and the sampling duration influence the DNA concentration and community composition of the samples.
Databáze: MEDLINE
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