Scientists are learning how to interpret “environmental DNA” (eDNA), the DNA that marine species naturally shed in water, which will help them track endangered species, check for invasive plants and manage fisheries.
“The easiest way to understand eDNA is to imagine yourself relaxing in a steamy hot tub. As you’re soaking, a bubble splashes water into your mouth and you spit it out. A day’s worth of dead skin sloughs off. Finally, toasty warm, you get out of the tub. The you-flavored broth left behind is full of your DNA. It has become part of the larger environment. And long after you’re gone, that DNA could be detected — if someone knew what to look for. The same holds true for any organism in any body of water,” says NPR.
Just by taking a water sample, scientists can now determine the presence of a species and its population numbers. While researchers are still learning how to decode certain aspects of the data — the amount of sunlight and the season of the year, along with other factors can affect the amount of DNA in the water— the technology is cheap and easy to use.