Car-mounted air samplers detect hundreds of species across Western Australia

Researchers at Curtin University have detected traces of hundreds of plants and animals by collecting airborne environmental DNA while driving across Western Australia, the Kalgoorlie Miner reported. Environmental DNA, or eDNA, refers to cellular material shed by organisms into their surrounding environments. The scientists gathered genetic material while travelling along a route of more than 1,100 kilometres from Cottesloe to Cocklebiddy. [1]

The research team collected air samples approximately every 26 kilometres as their vehicle moved through coastal forests, agricultural land, and inland environments toward the Nullarbor Plain, according to the Kalgoorlie Miner. Laboratory analysis of the collected genetic material successfully identified 633 distinct plant and animal taxa along the driving route. [1]

The Kalgoorlie Miner reported that this sampling technique demonstrates how mobile air collectors can assist scientists in monitoring biological diversity across large geographic areas. The method offers a potential tool for detecting agricultural pests and invasive species that pose threats to local ecosystems and farming. [1]