eDNA Testing

TEPS has joined the Wai Tuwhera o te Taiao – Open Waters Aotearoa eDNA program, and collected a series of samples from two locations within the Tāmaki Estuary.

What is eDNA?

All living things shed genetic information into their local environment. This is called environmental DNA, or eDNA. Plants and animals leave behind ‘genetic breadcrumbs’ (such as skin cells and faeces) in the environments they live in. The advantage of eDNA testing is that is non-destructive and doesn’t require animal capture.

Limitations

Environmental DNA testing can’t tell you how big a fish is, or the size of a population.
Only those species that have had their DNA sequenced and entered into Wilderlab’s database will be ‘found’, if they are present in our samples.

Results

See some of the results at Wilderlab Lab Testing Services. Zoom into the Tāmaki Estuary area on the map, and click on a sample icon to see what eDNA was found.

TEPS thanks the Hauraki Gulf Forum (aucklandcouncil.govt.nz) for its support, enabling us to carry out this important environmental testing.

(Next page: eDNA Presentation)