At the Yueyang Tower water observation point near East Dongting Lake in central China’s Hunan Province, Li Benchao and his team are on a mission. Armed with nothing more than bottles of water, they are collecting samples from the lake to uncover the secrets beneath its surface.
The Yangtze finless porpoise, an endangered aquatic mammal native to the Yangtze River and its connected lakes, has been notoriously difficult to monitor due to its elusive nature and low population density. Traditional methods of tracking these porpoises, such as manual observation, are time-consuming, labor-intensive, and often yield inaccurate data.
Enter environmental DNA (eDNA) technology. This innovative method allows scientists to detect genetic material shed by organisms into their environment, such as skin cells, scales, or waste, simply by analyzing water samples.
“In the past, detecting aquatic species like the Yangtze finless porpoise relied heavily on manual observation,” explains Li, director of the Dongting Lake Ecological Environment Monitoring Center of Hunan Province. “This method was not only time-consuming and labor-intensive, but the data obtained was also inaccurate. Environmental DNA technology, as an emerging biological monitoring method, can achieve effective monitoring even when the density of the Yangtze finless porpoise is low.”
By collecting water samples from various points in the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake, Li and his team can analyze the eDNA present to determine the presence and abundance of different aquatic species, including the finless porpoise. This method offers a non-invasive, efficient, and accurate way to monitor biodiversity and assess the health of aquatic ecosystems.
The use of eDNA technology marks a significant advancement in conservation efforts for the Yangtze finless porpoise. With more precise data on their populations, conservationists can better understand the factors affecting their survival and implement targeted strategies to protect this rare species.
As environmental challenges continue to threaten biodiversity worldwide, innovative technologies like eDNA offer hope for more effective monitoring and conservation of endangered species. The work of Li and his team exemplifies how a simple bottle of water can hold the key to safeguarding the future of some of the planet’s most vulnerable creatures.
Reference(s):
cgtn.com
