Marine DNA uncovers vast, unseen ranges of ocean life – Earth.com

Report on Environmental DNA’s Impact on Marine Biodiversity Mapping and the Sustainable Development Goals

Introduction: Advancing SDG 14 through Innovative Monitoring

A recent global analysis utilizing environmental DNA (eDNA) from nearly 1,000 seawater samples has significantly revised our understanding of marine fish biodiversity. The findings reveal substantial underestimations in the known geographic ranges of marine species, a critical data gap that directly impacts the effective implementation of Sustainable Development Goal 14 (Life Below Water). This report summarizes the study’s methodology, key findings, and profound implications for global conservation and sustainable management efforts aligned with the SDGs.

Methodology and Core Findings

The research leveraged eDNA, genetic material shed by organisms into their environment, to detect species presence without direct observation. This innovative approach provides a more comprehensive picture of marine ecosystems, contributing vital data for achieving global sustainability targets.

• Primary Finding: Known geographic ranges were found to be underestimated for 93% of the species analyzed.
• Data Correction: The eDNA method effectively corrected for blind spots in conventional survey data, which are often concentrated in accessible areas and miss remote, deep, or hard-to-survey locations.
• Predictive Power: A machine learning model predicted that as few as 10 eDNA samples could identify an average of 24 new fish species in a given area, highlighting the method’s efficiency.

Direct Implications for SDG 14: Life Below Water

The study’s results provide a crucial tool for advancing several targets under SDG 14. Accurate biodiversity mapping is the foundation for effective marine conservation and management.

1. Target 14.2 – Protecting Marine Ecosystems: By revealing the true extent of species’ habitats, including those for cryptobenthic fishes, eDNA provides the detailed information necessary to manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems sustainably.
2. Target 14.4 – Sustainable Fishing: Understanding the full geographic and thermal ranges of fish stocks is essential for creating accurate models that regulate harvesting, prevent overfishing, and ensure the long-term health of fisheries.
3. Target 14.5 – Marine Conservation: The discovery of endangered species, such as the shortfin mako shark, far beyond their previously recorded ranges underscores the need to re-evaluate and potentially expand marine protected areas to ensure they cover critical habitats.

Contributions to Broader Sustainable Development Goals

Beyond its primary impact on SDG 14, this research contributes to other global goals.

• SDG 13 (Climate Action): The study widened the documented temperature and oxygen limits for some species. This refined data improves models that forecast species’ responses to ocean warming, aiding in climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies for marine environments.
• SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure): The application of eDNA represents a significant scientific innovation. It is a cost-effective and scalable technology that enhances the infrastructure for environmental monitoring, making comprehensive biodiversity assessment more accessible globally.

Limitations and Methodological Considerations

While powerful, the eDNA approach has limitations that must be considered for its application in policy and conservation planning.

• Reference Libraries: The accuracy of species identification is dependent on comprehensive genetic reference libraries, which remain incomplete for some tropical and polar regions.
• Signal Transience: eDNA signals in water can be transient, reflecting a snapshot in time rather than a permanent presence.
• Data Interpretation: The study distinguished between range extensions that correct for geographic undersampling and those that reveal new ecological niches, demonstrating the need for rigorous statistical analysis.

Recommendations for Future Action

To maximize the contribution of eDNA technology to the Sustainable Development Goals, the following steps are recommended:

1. Expand Genetic Reference Libraries: Prioritize investment in building comprehensive genetic databases, particularly for under-researched regions like the tropics and polar seas, to improve the resolution of eDNA detections.
2. Integrate Monitoring Methods: Design and implement joint campaigns that combine eDNA surveys with traditional methods (e.g., diver counts, camera traps, nets). This integrated approach will provide a more holistic understanding of marine ecosystems, capturing both molecular data and organismal context like size and behavior.
3. Incorporate eDNA into Policy: Conservation and management bodies should adopt eDNA as a standard tool for rapid biodiversity assessments, especially when planning marine protected areas, evaluating environmental impacts, and monitoring climate change effects.

1. Which SDGs are addressed or connected to the issues highlighted in the article?

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• The entire article focuses on marine biodiversity, the mapping of marine fish species, and the implications for conservation. It directly addresses the goal of conserving and sustainably using the oceans and marine resources. The use of eDNA to find species like the endangered shortfin mako shark and to better understand marine ecosystems is central to this SDG.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• The article connects biodiversity mapping to climate change by stating, “Those changes feed into models that forecast where species can live as oceans warm. Small shifts in measured thermal tolerance can change risk assessments for fisheries and conservation plans.” This highlights how improved data on species’ ecological niches is crucial for understanding and mitigating the impacts of climate change on marine life.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• The research presented is a technological innovation. The article describes how a “simple DNA test can correct blind spots in our maps of ocean life” and how “a machine learning model predicted that just 10 eDNA samples could reveal about 24 new fish species.” This showcases the role of scientific research and new technologies in advancing our understanding and management of natural resources.

2. What specific targets under those SDGs can be identified based on the article’s content?

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• Target 14.2: By 2020, sustainably manage and protect marine and coastal ecosystems to avoid significant adverse impacts. The article supports this by providing a more accurate method for mapping biodiversity, which is fundamental for effective management and protection. Knowing where species truly are helps “miss important habitats” from being overlooked.
• Target 14.5: By 2020, conserve at least 10 per cent of coastal and marine areas… based on the best available scientific information. The eDNA method described is a new source of “the best available scientific information.” The article notes that “a low cost eDNA sweep can quickly test whether overlooked species are present in a marine reserve,” directly contributing to the effective design and monitoring of protected areas.
• Target 14.a: Increase scientific knowledge, develop research capacity and transfer marine technology… to improve ocean health. The study is a clear example of increasing scientific knowledge and developing a new marine technology (eDNA sampling) to improve our understanding of ocean biodiversity and, consequently, ocean health.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Target 13.3: Improve education, awareness-raising and human and institutional capacity on climate change… impact reduction. The article contributes to this by providing data that “can change risk assessments for fisheries and conservation plans” in the face of warming oceans. This improved knowledge enhances institutional capacity to plan for climate change impacts on marine ecosystems.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Target 9.5: Enhance scientific research, upgrade the technological capabilities of industrial sectors in all countries… and encourage innovation. The development and application of eDNA analysis, as detailed in the article, is a direct example of enhancing scientific research and innovation to solve challenges in biodiversity monitoring.

3. Are there any indicators mentioned or implied in the article that can be used to measure progress towards the identified targets?

SDG 14: Life Below Water

• Implied Indicator for Target 14.2 & 14.5: The percentage or number of species whose known geographic ranges have been updated or extended. The article’s central finding that “known geographic ranges were underestimated for 93 percent of species” serves as a direct measure of the improvement in scientific knowledge needed for effective conservation.
• Implied Indicator for Target 14.a: The adoption rate of new monitoring technologies in marine science. The article suggests a practical application: “Ten local water samples often add two dozen fish species that monitoring programs would otherwise miss,” implying that the number of monitoring programs incorporating eDNA could be an indicator of progress.

SDG 13: Climate Action

• Implied Indicator for Target 13.3: The integration of updated species distribution and thermal tolerance data into climate change risk models. The article states that “small shifts in measured thermal tolerance can change risk assessments.” Progress could be measured by how many conservation and fishery management plans are revised using this new type of data.

SDG 9: Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure

• Implied Indicator for Target 9.5: The number of new species or occurrences identified per sampling effort using innovative methods. The article provides a specific metric: “a machine learning model predicted that just 10 eDNA samples could reveal about 24 new fish species on average.” This quantifies the efficiency and impact of the innovation.

4. Create a table with three columns titled ‘SDGs, Targets and Indicators” to present the findings from analyzing the article.

Source: earth.com