Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool to detect Arctic grayling and their habitat preferences in the Northwest Territories, Canada
Environmental deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA) assays represent a non-invasive approach for biomonitoring. To assess Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus, Pallas, 1776) populations in the Little Nahanni watershed of Northwest Territories, Canada, an eDNA assay that has been previously validated for use i...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Canadian Science Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Arctic Science |
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| Online Access: | https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2023-0074 |
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| author | Heather D. Veilleux Melissa D. Misutka Morag D. McPherson Peter A. Cott Greg G. Goss Mark Poesch Chris N. Glover |
| author_facet | Heather D. Veilleux Melissa D. Misutka Morag D. McPherson Peter A. Cott Greg G. Goss Mark Poesch Chris N. Glover |
| author_sort | Heather D. Veilleux |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Environmental deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA) assays represent a non-invasive approach for biomonitoring. To assess Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus, Pallas, 1776) populations in the Little Nahanni watershed of Northwest Territories, Canada, an eDNA assay that has been previously validated for use in fish of the Beringia lineage was used in conjunction with traditional survey methods (i.e., electrofishing). Forty-six 100 m reaches of streams were assessed in August 2015. The assay successfully detected Arctic grayling of the Nahanni lineage, with an eDNA signal recorded at each of the 17 sites in which Arctic grayling were observed by traditional fish surveys, but also at 3 of the 29 sites where Arctic grayling were not observed. The presence of eDNA was related to habitat metrics via Random Forest and correlation analyses. Riffles and water temperature were identified as being predictive of Arctic grayling eDNA abundance; however, no significant relationship between eDNA abundance and biomass proxies (fish abundance and fork length metrics) could be established. The high congruence between traditional approaches and eDNA surveys suggests adoption of the latter method will enhance the temporal and spatial acuity of biomonitoring, thereby improving field assessment of Arctic grayling populations and contributing towards more effective conservation management of this species. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-786df6ba8e774b9f8f01020ccecfec13 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2368-7460 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Canadian Science Publishing |
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| series | Arctic Science |
| spelling | doaj-art-786df6ba8e774b9f8f01020ccecfec132025-02-03T13:51:31ZengCanadian Science PublishingArctic Science2368-74602025-01-011111210.1139/as-2023-0074Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool to detect Arctic grayling and their habitat preferences in the Northwest Territories, CanadaHeather D. Veilleux0Melissa D. Misutka1Morag D. McPherson2Peter A. Cott3Greg G. Goss4Mark Poesch5Chris N. Glover6Department of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, CanadaFisheries and Oceans Canada, 101-5204 50th Ave, Yellowknife, NT, CanadaDepartment of Biology and Water Institute, University of Waterloo, Waterloo, ON, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, CanadaDepartment of Renewable Resources, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, CanadaDepartment of Biological Sciences, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, CanadaEnvironmental deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA) assays represent a non-invasive approach for biomonitoring. To assess Arctic grayling (Thymallus arcticus, Pallas, 1776) populations in the Little Nahanni watershed of Northwest Territories, Canada, an eDNA assay that has been previously validated for use in fish of the Beringia lineage was used in conjunction with traditional survey methods (i.e., electrofishing). Forty-six 100 m reaches of streams were assessed in August 2015. The assay successfully detected Arctic grayling of the Nahanni lineage, with an eDNA signal recorded at each of the 17 sites in which Arctic grayling were observed by traditional fish surveys, but also at 3 of the 29 sites where Arctic grayling were not observed. The presence of eDNA was related to habitat metrics via Random Forest and correlation analyses. Riffles and water temperature were identified as being predictive of Arctic grayling eDNA abundance; however, no significant relationship between eDNA abundance and biomass proxies (fish abundance and fork length metrics) could be established. The high congruence between traditional approaches and eDNA surveys suggests adoption of the latter method will enhance the temporal and spatial acuity of biomonitoring, thereby improving field assessment of Arctic grayling populations and contributing towards more effective conservation management of this species.https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2023-0074Thymallus arcticusNahannifish surveysnon-invasive samplingelectrofishingenvironmental DNA |
| spellingShingle | Heather D. Veilleux Melissa D. Misutka Morag D. McPherson Peter A. Cott Greg G. Goss Mark Poesch Chris N. Glover Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool to detect Arctic grayling and their habitat preferences in the Northwest Territories, Canada Arctic Science Thymallus arcticus Nahanni fish surveys non-invasive sampling electrofishing environmental DNA |
| title | Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool to detect Arctic grayling and their habitat preferences in the Northwest Territories, Canada |
| title_full | Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool to detect Arctic grayling and their habitat preferences in the Northwest Territories, Canada |
| title_fullStr | Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool to detect Arctic grayling and their habitat preferences in the Northwest Territories, Canada |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool to detect Arctic grayling and their habitat preferences in the Northwest Territories, Canada |
| title_short | Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool to detect Arctic grayling and their habitat preferences in the Northwest Territories, Canada |
| title_sort | environmental dna edna as a tool to detect arctic grayling and their habitat preferences in the northwest territories canada |
| topic | Thymallus arcticus Nahanni fish surveys non-invasive sampling electrofishing environmental DNA |
| url | https://cdnsciencepub.com/doi/10.1139/as-2023-0074 |
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