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Si Creer @profsicreer.bsky.social · Jul 30

Great to see this @meebangor.bsky.social @bangoruniversity.bsky.social trophic #eDNA output maturing after all of Kitty's hard work and initial sample acquisition by the Bangor cichlid team - Alix Tyers, George Turner, funded by @nerc-eof.bsky.social grant and @thefsbi.bsky.social studentship!

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William Perry @drwillperry.bsky.social · Jul 25

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!

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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Si Creer @profsicreer.bsky.social · May 14

Echoing thanks to @royalsociety.org and @ukdnawg.bsky.social for hosting a great 2 days of broadening horizon talks, integrating more disciplines, countries and synergies into the #UKDNAWG25. Looking forwards to more @meebangor.bsky.social contributions to #eDNA research!

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

@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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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.

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

@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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

@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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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UKEOF UKDNA Working Group @ukdnawg.bsky.social · May 14

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

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