Big data on a little chip: New eDNA tools save time and money on invasive species detection and monitoring

Jennifer Helm; Taylor Wilcox; John Kronenberger; Joanna Elmore; Michael Sleeting; Thomas W. Franklin; Michael K. Schwartz

Treesearch

Big data on a little chip: New eDNA tools save time and money on invasive species detection and monitoring

Informally Refereed

Authors:

Jennifer Helm, Taylor Wilcox, John Kronenberger, Joanna Elmore, Michael Sleeting, Thomas W. Franklin, Michael K. Schwartz

Year:

2025

Type:

Science Bulletins and Newsletters

Station:

Rocky Mountain Research Station

Source:

Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), July 2025. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.

Download (PDF 2.58 MB)

Download (PDF 2.58 MB): https://research.fs.usda.gov/download/treesearch/69436.pdf

Abstract

In a field that is hyper-focused on efficiency and cost savings, environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling - or detecting fish and wildlife from traces of genetic material in the environment - has become the gold standard. Over the last decade, eDNA sampling has emerged as a powerful and cost-effective tool for national forests to obtain the data they need to make management decisions. Now, Forest Service scientists have created “biochips” that generate these high-value data even more efficiently, buoying the value of eDNA monitoring capacity far into the future.

Keywords

environmental DNA (eDNA), sampling, invasive species, detection, monitoring

Citation

Helm, Jennifer; Wilcox, Taylor; Kronenberger, John; Elmore, Joanna; Sleeting, Michael; Franklin, Thomas; Schwartz, Michael. 2025. Big data on a little chip: New eDNA tools save time and money on invasive species detection and monitoring. Science You Can Use (in 5 Minutes), July 2025. Fort Collins, CO: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station. 2 p.