Just published 'Dietary Differentiation Between Sympatric #Ecotypes of #Astatotilapia calliptera From Lake Masoko, #Tanzania Revealed by Metabarcoding'! bit.ly/3GTRKjI Great to be part of this work led by Dr Kirthana Pillay (FSBI PhD)! Nostalgic, given that my MSci thesis looked at these #cichlids!

And that’s a wrap! Thank you very much to @royalsociety.org, organising committee, session chairs, speakers, panellists and student helpers for a fantastic conference and we’ll see you next year! #UKDNAWG25

Speed talks! Caroline Howard @sangerinstitute.bsky.social gives update on Tree of Life project. Number of sequences are increasing every day, with slight bias towards Lepidoptera but also spanning all taxonomic groups. Fabulous genomic resource for the wider community to use #UKDNAWG25 1/4

Ben Price @nhm.org gives update on last 5 years of UK Barcode of Life. Many gaps filled but better gap analysis needed to identify and fill those remaining. Next step is developed curated databases for UK and Europe! #UKDNAWG25 3/4

Henrik Cornelisson van de Ven of TNO describes formation of Dutch #eDNA working group and creation of National #eDNA Framework for the Netherlands. Many more meeting and fundings needed but lots of motivation! #UKDNAWG25 4/4

Now @nidunn.bsky.social on importance of metadata for publishing and mobilising #metabarcoding data. Metadata key to understanding how species records were generated and making confidence judgement. FAIR #eDNA project has established workflow which @naturalengland.bsky.social have adopted #UKDNAWG25

Project, sample, amplification (single species), sequencing and ASV/OTU data required which enable confidence assessment of the data. Templates for upload to @nbntrust.bsky.social have been produced with tool for adapting to @gbif.org #UKDNAWG25

@lyndallp.bsky.social gives insights and challenges from BIOSCAN. Scaling up, taxonomic bias + data quality have been big challenges. Sampling has ramped up over years. Most samples dominated by Diptera, but many taxa only seen once. Good coverage of UK habitats. Data platform now live #UKDNAWG25

Last session of #UKDNAWG25 is standards, best practice, current knowledge gaps and future opportunities. @leeselab.bsky.social discusses how we go from wild west of #eDNA to standards. Challenges are limited comparability of methods and unequal access to technical infrastructure and funding.

Different labs can produce vastly different results which leads to ‘eDNA doesn’t work’ - ring and proficiency testing is key. Establishing minimum standards (e.g. sequencing depth) and metadata reporting is crucial. Stringency of standards will vary by taxonomic group #UKDNAWG25

FAIR #eDNA data and transparent workflows are essential. Harmonisation should come after standardisation. International collaboration and partnership will drive progress #UKDNAWG25

Speed talks! First Nadia Barsoum @forestresearchuk.bsky.social talks about use of #eDNA for forest #mammals. Camera traps compared to aquatic, soil, airborne and surface #eDNA. More species detected with #eDNA, particularly surface #eDNA #UKDNAWG25 1/6

Penelope Watt @sheffielduni.bsky.social compared #eDNA to hand sorting to assess impact of land management on #earthworm diversity. #eDNA detected same species as hand sorting. More species in leys than arable land #UKDNAWG25 5/6

Claire Carvell @ukceh.bsky.social presents results of DNA barcoding through @pomscheme.bsky.social using BIOSCAN pipeline. High quality sequences that could largely be identified to species level obtained. Seasonal patterns in community composition found #UKDNAWG25 6/6

@clarecowgill.bsky.social compared #eDNA, #ecoacoustics + camera trapping for monitoring #terrestrial rewilding. Aquatic, soil + surface (tree rolling) #eDNA used. Most species with #ecoacoustics + tree rolling. More mammals + amphibians with #eDNA. More birds with #ecoacoustics #UKDNAWG25

Similar functional traits across methods - ecological resilience or full range of traits not captured? #Ecoacoustics detects distinct traits compared to larger mammals with other methods. #Ecoacoustics and #eDNA needed for most comprehensive trophic network #UKDNAWG25

Buffy Smith @theednaconsultancy.bsky.social compared #iDNA and airborne #eDNA for #biodiversity in fragmented forest landscape. #iDNA more spatially sensitive. More domestic species detected with #iDNA than #eDNA tended to capture larger native mammals - differential shedding rates? #UKDNAWG25

Doug Yu presents results of large-scale #eDNA survey across 30,000 km2 protected area complex in China. OccPlus model used which accounts for false positives and false negatives in the field and the lab using read frequency #UKDNAWG25

Higher #bird and #mammal richness in streams leaving protected areas, with higher occupancy of wild species inside and domestic species outside. Fish don’t show same trend although more non-native species found outside. More statistics needed over bioinformatics #UKDNAWG25

Composition, distribution + function being examined as well as links to other #biodiversity data. Soil monitoring approaches across UK need aligned but even basics are challenging. Urgent solutions needed as soils in trouble. What metrics + standards does this include? What legislation? #UKDNAWG25

@susheelbusi.bsky.social using the Environment Agency’s River Surveillance Network for national-scale assessment of #antimicrobial resistance (AMR). AMR is old and natural phenomenon, even present in ‘pristine’ systems. Prevalent in #river systems and influenced by catchment #UKDNAWG25

Geology is biggest driver of AMR. Anthropogenic activities also contribute but not the only factor that should be considered #UKDNAWG25

Davey Jones @bangoruniversity.bsky.social describes innovations in wastewater-based epidemiology. Everyone contributes a sample to sewerage system - unbiased monitoring. Can act as early warning system for public and environmental health. Key challenge is communicating insights #UKDNAWG25

COVID and other viruses from many sources can be monitored as well as escapee pathogens and Anti-Microbial Resistance genes from hospital discharge. Can then do predictive modelling to understand transport in environment. One sample can be used for many analyses #UKDNAWG25

Now for health and #forensic applications of #eDNA. Niamh Nic Daeid @dundee.ac.uk talks through whether we can and should use it in the criminal justice system. Many unknowns before it can be implemented in this space safely. Standardisation of methods, reporting, and data sharing needed #UKDNAWG25

Speed talks! @kirstenjharper.bsky.social uncovers #marine #biodiversity around Pitcairn Islands. Fish communities differ by site + depth. Species detections matched life histories + habitat preferences. More data for other taxa + comparisons with other methods still to come! #UKDNAWG25 1/4

@margauxsteyaert.bsky.social compared ARMS to #eDNA survey for cryptobenthic communities. Richness higher with ARMS and not much overlap with #eDNA, but #eDNA does better detect mobile #invertebrates and #sponges. More work on sediment samples and reference databases to come #UKDNAWG25 3/4

Tom Gibson @cefasgovuk.bsky.social used #eDNA survey in Ascension Marine Protected Area. Majority of #fish ASVs identified to family level. Some species-depth associations found. #eDNA has potential but more work on reference databases needed #UKDNAWG25 4/4

Dina-Leigh Simons @liverpooluni.bsky.social used #eDNA to survey rocky reef #biodiversity. Many spatial + environmental influences on intertidal #eDNA, but local abiotic stress gradients and known biogeographical patterns captured. Scale-appropriate sampling needed #UKDNAWG25

Karen Tait @plymouthmarine.bsky.social presents morphological and #molecular time-series to assess #zooplankton changes over last decade. #eDNA gives diff community insights. More info overall with both methods. Insights into meroplankton winners and losers as well as seasonal changes #UKDNAWG25

#UKDNAWG25 Day 2 begins with #marine monitoring. Kate Wade @jncc.bsky.social explains how 🧬 uptake been slow - challenges combining with traditional methods, and lack of funding, knowledge and confidence. New UK Marine DNA Group aims to advance, collaborate + share learning, starting with workshop

Thank you to @royalsociety.org, organising committee, session chairs, speakers, panellists and student helpers for a fantastic first day! #UKDNAWG25

Moving forwards? Core investment into national infrastructure needed. Need to be open to cross-pollination bringing different ideas to address similar problems. #eDNA gives a different view to biodiversity but this isn’t a bad thing. Need broad focus and maximise analysis on each sample #UKDNAWG25

Next speed talk session! Salla Vartia introduces PINK Track. Project aims to develop standardised #eDNA protocols for surveillance of pink salmon. 8 filter types compared across 6 countries - all performed reasonably well #UKDNAWG25 1/4

Sotiris Meletiou continues the #eel theme using #eDNA #metabarcoding to track #eel presence across space and time. Findings suggest Cyprus must revisit EU policy status. Refuges identified but also need for eel-friendly migration passes. Over 10 other fish species detected #UKDNAWG25 3/4

Milly Jones presents model for time-series #eDNA qPCR data. Allows for contamination and inhibition by assuming inherent probability for these, and heteroscedascity in qPCR output. Model reduces bias which is further reduced by increasing biological and technical replication #UKDNAWG25 4/4

Tom Wilding of SAMS giving overview of #eDNA based Infaunal Quality Index (IQI). Traditional IQI expensive, time-consuming, and incompatible with active management. #eDNA can give repeatable data and predict IQI if SOP followed. Ring testing also showed diff labs could achieve same result #UKDNAWG25

#metabarcoding of archived samples has strong potential to help understand past ecological communities and changes over time. Future work will look at DNA-based metrics/indicators of #lake condition, and biobanked/archived samples #UKDNAWG25 @ukceh.bsky.social

Joe Taylor @ukceh.bsky.social on integrating DNA into #lake monitoring. Decades of biological, chemical and physical data for Cumbrian lakes. #eDNA #metabarcoding introduced in 2021. Clear seasonal shifts in bacterial community composition and separation by trophic status #UKDNAWG25

Jono Warren of Environment Agency continues work on #river #biofilms, presenting results of #microbial #metabarcoding. Nitrate = problem for ecological health of rivers. Indicators needed for management. Sensitive and tolerant taxa identified. Placement of ‘good’ ecological threshold key #UKDNAWG25

@amycthorpe.bsky.social giving insights to #river microbial diversity. Using Environment Agency’s River Surveillance Network, >1500 #biofilms collected, with #metagenomic sequencing for >400. Lots of novel taxa detected. Communities tend to be made up of high occupancy, abundant bacteria #UKDNAWG25

Catchment geology explains most of variation in bacterial communities, followed by water chemistry. Complex interactions of environmental drivers make it difficult to disentangle responses #UKDNAWG25

Lotic systems accumulate #eDNA from the wider catchment, including that of terrestrial species. Fish diversity increases downstream as #eDNA is transported, but strong spatial + seasonal turnover in #macroinvertebrates linked to env drivers. Also fast #eDNA break down to consider #UKDNAWG25

Where it all started… #eDNA monitoring in #aquatic ecosystems. First @profsicreer.bsky.social giving an overview of #freshwater lotic #eDNA, with investigations from mesocosm to ecosystem scale to understand fate, transport, spatiotemporal variation and environmental drivers #UKDNAWG25

Speed talks! Kate Denton @naturemetrics-edna.bsky.social used airborne #eDNA to look at crucial but overlooked #biodiversity on Somerset levels to infer ecosystem function. NatureAir project will expand this work #UKDNAWG25 1/3

Lindsay Newbold @ukceh.bsky.social used leaf washing to sample #eDNA from old, planted and regenerated trees. Distinct communities associated with tree hosts found. Oak trees supported much higher arthropod diversity. Indicator species for oak and pine #UKDNAWG25

Connor Scott @forestresearchuk.bsky.social used airborne #eDNA of fungal spores to look at tree colonisation of former agricultural land. Higher success with airborne #eDNA + sporocarp #metabarcoding than visual survey, but species ID tricky. Many tools needed to profile fungal diversity #UKDNAWG25

Matthew Clark @nhm-london.bsky.social introducing AirSeq. Pilots showed seasonal trends in agricultural crop pathogen spores, and spraying sometimes occurring too late. Now expanding to animals and zoonoses with platform for real-time #metagenomics, and looking at changes in space/time #UKDNAWG25

Airborne #eDNA can be used for species at risk to large-scale ecology. Recurring problem of benchmarking #eDNA against existing monitoring while capilitising on the unique information it provides. Future work will look at transport, sampling, seasonality and much more #UKDNAWG25

@jlittlefair.bsky.social kicks off session on novel and emerging methods for #terrestrial 🧬 monitoring with airborne #eDNA. Aquatic #eDNA development gave airborne #eDNA a running start. Proof-of-concepts in zoos provided evidence for also detecting UK species of importance #UKDNAWG25