How can we know what lives in the environments all around us?
We are utilizing a way of doing just that at The Nature Conservancy’s Ellsworth Creek Preserve using environmental DNA. Environmental DNA, or eDNA, is the genetic material found in a soil, water or air sample from species as they pass through an environment. Capturing this DNA allows us to provide a census of the diversity of plants, bacteria and animals in a particular area and use the data to inform strategies in how we make decisions that affect the preserve. Soil eDNA data can inform our restoration efforts and mitigate the impacts of climate change. Our eDNA research is just one path we are taking to restore old growth forests on the Washington coast.
But why stop there? This type of innovative paring of science and management can also help to establish best practices for restoration efforts globally to ensure the conservation of the plant for our lifetime and beyond.
Join Dr. Tiara Moore, Postdoctoral Fellow at The Nature Conservancy, as she describes how soil is so important and how it’s the key to solving a lot of human-derived environmental issues we face today.
The Science at Home speaker series reveals the science and creativity behind our work—by putting a spotlight on answering the questions necessary for people and nature to thrive in our state and beyond.
