A Preliminary Evaluation of Environmental DNA for Detecting Many-Lined Salamanders
Disciplines
Biodiversity | Other Ecology and Evolutionary Biology
Abstract (300 words maximum)
The many-lined salamander (Stereochilus marginatus) is a rare and secretive species whose behavior makes it difficult to monitor using traditional field surveys. Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a promising, non-invasive tool that may provide higher detection probabilities and allow researchers to identify habitats where this species persists. This study evaluates the potential of eDNA as a method for locating many-lined salamanders and guiding future monitoring strategies. Water samples were collected from a site where the species has been documented previously by colleagues from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), who filtered samples to preserve DNA material. We then extracted eDNA from these filters in the laboratory. Next, we made metabarcoding libraries using two sets of primers: one custom-designed for lungless salamanders and one targeting all vertebrates. We analyzed sequence data using QIIME2 and a reference database. Our goal was to determine whether eDNA can serve as a reliable method for detecting many-lined salamanders in habitats where they are known to occur, thereby validating its use in broader surveys to uncover new populations. If eDNA proves effective, it could provide a valuable tool for conservation biologists by improving monitoring efficiency and expanding the ability to track the distribution of this little-known amphibian.
Use of AI Disclaimer
no
Academic department under which the project should be listed
CSM – Ecology, Evolution, and Organismal Biology
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Todd Pierson
A Preliminary Evaluation of Environmental DNA for Detecting Many-Lined Salamanders
The many-lined salamander (Stereochilus marginatus) is a rare and secretive species whose behavior makes it difficult to monitor using traditional field surveys. Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a promising, non-invasive tool that may provide higher detection probabilities and allow researchers to identify habitats where this species persists. This study evaluates the potential of eDNA as a method for locating many-lined salamanders and guiding future monitoring strategies. Water samples were collected from a site where the species has been documented previously by colleagues from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FFWCC), who filtered samples to preserve DNA material. We then extracted eDNA from these filters in the laboratory. Next, we made metabarcoding libraries using two sets of primers: one custom-designed for lungless salamanders and one targeting all vertebrates. We analyzed sequence data using QIIME2 and a reference database. Our goal was to determine whether eDNA can serve as a reliable method for detecting many-lined salamanders in habitats where they are known to occur, thereby validating its use in broader surveys to uncover new populations. If eDNA proves effective, it could provide a valuable tool for conservation biologists by improving monitoring efficiency and expanding the ability to track the distribution of this little-known amphibian.