![]() 8 were the first to demonstrate that eDNA could be employed to determine the distribution of macro-organisms. ![]() It was in 2008, in their study on bullfrogs, that Ficetola et al. 6, 7 In contrast, eDNA analysis of macro-organisms is still at a comparatively nascent stage. These methods of extracting DNA directly from environmental media and its subsequent analysis are now commonly used as tools for characterizing the bacterial or fungal flora within a given environment. This approach, which entails the direct extraction of DNA from environmental media to study the distribution of organisms, initially began with studies on bacteria and other microorganisms, 5 the techniques of which made it possible to determine the types of bacteria present in soil or river water without the necessity of culturing specimens. In this context, eDNA refers to all DNA in the environment, which, for example, includes both intra-organismal DNA of microorganisms and extra-organismal DNA derived from the faeces and mucus of macro-organisms in environmental media (eDNA sensu lato). In recent years, there has been a rapid development of environmental DNA (eDNA)-based analyses, in which information obtained by sampling DNA from environmental sources is used to identify the distribution and abundance of macro-organisms such as fish and amphibians. Consequently, the monitoring of aquatic organisms to date has been far from comprehensive, whereas the loss of biodiversity continues at an unprecedented rate.ĭetermining the distribution of macro-organisms using environmental DNA However, all these methods have the notable disadvantages of being labour-intensive and costly. For the collection of aquatic species, methods such as fishing, electro-fishing, and the use of cast nets, gillnets, and trawls are routinely employed, whereas scuba diving and, more recently, underwater drones are used for visual observations. Traditionally, the monitoring of organisms has involved the collection or observation of individuals and visual morphology-based identification. For this purpose, monitoring is important to determine the presence, distribution, and numbers of any given species. 3 Essentially, this means that having implemented conservation measures, their efficacy should be closely assessed, and the information thus garnered applied in subsequent efforts. Consequently, the conservation of ecosystems and biodiversity is an urgent issue for all societies, for which we need to develop an adaptive management approach. 2 Such erosion of biodiversity will lead not only to the loss of ecosystem functions and the degradation of ecosystem services but may eventually contribute to the collapse of entire ecosystems on a global scale. Populations are similarly undergoing marked declines, with losses in freshwater environments being considered the most serious. 1 The numbers of wildlife species and individuals continue to decline significantly on a global scale, as emphasized by the current IUCN Red List ( ), which indicates that approximately one-third of the assessed species are threatened with extinction. One of the most concerning global environmental issues confronting society today is the loss of biodiversity. The fusion of microbiology and macrobiology through an amalgamation of these technologies is anticipated to lead to the future development of an integrated biology. ![]() eDNA analysis, which to date has been used primarily for determining the distribution of organisms, is expected to develop into a tool for elucidating the physiological state and behaviour of organisms. I also discuss the future perspective of these analytical methods in combination with sophisticated analytical techniques for DNA research developed in the fields of molecular biology and molecular genetics, including genomics, epigenomics, and single-cell technologies. In this review, I summarize the development of macro-organismal eDNA analysis to date and the techniques used in this field. Over the past decade, macro-organismal eDNA analysis has undergone significant developments and is rapidly becoming established as the golden standard for non-destructive and non-invasive biological monitoring. The analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a new approach that could revolutionize the biological monitoring of aquatic ecosystems. ![]() In an era of severe biodiversity loss, biological monitoring is becoming increasingly essential. ![]()
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