Complementing National Assessment Programs with DNA Metabarcoding Surveys
Citation:
Pilgrim, E. Complementing National Assessment Programs with DNA Metabarcoding Surveys. 2019 International Workshop on Environmental Genomics, St Johns, CANADA, June 12 - 13, 2019.
Impact/Purpose:
Presented at the 2019 International Workshop on Environmental Genomics (IWEG).
Description:
DNA metabarcoding can be a valuable tool when combined with existing biomonitoring programs, but pairing genetic biological assessments with traditional methods presents challenges. Previous difficulties often came from misconceptions about genetic methods potentially replacing traditional methods or from misunderstanding of the types of data generated by metabarcoding. Toward overcoming these difficulties, we have been emphasizing how metabarcoding can provide enhancements to existing programs beyond traditional monitoring tools. In this presentation, I will highlight how the U.S. EPA has begun pilot studies at the national level for understanding how DNA metabarcoding can enhance traditional biomonitoring projects. I will discuss the challenges, lesson learned, and successes related to applying these genomic tools to using eDNA for detecting fish species as part of the National Lakes Assessment and to using metabarcoding on periphyton communities as part of the National Rivers & Streams Assessment.
