MMARINeDNA: Marine Mammal Remote detection via INnovative environmental DNA sampling

Background

We aim to understand the transport, persistence and distribution of environmental DNA (eDNA) in marine environments from marine mammal targets. We use ongoing and existing large-scale projects across the West Coast to understand eDNA on multiple spatial, vertical, and temporal scales.

The project will both theoretically and experimentally characterize eDNA in the marine environment and parameterize models supporting the ability to hindcast source locations using eDNA detections throughout the water column.

Objectives

  1. To understand the fate and transport of eDNA and thereby interpret eDNA detections from marine mammals in a spatially and temporally explicit context.

  2. To evaluate eDNA as a complement to — or plausibly, as an alternative to — traditional visual and acoustic detections for cetaceans.

  3. To apply the lessons learned to map marine mammals along the US West Coast using eDNA.

Meet the Team

  • Michaela Alksne

  • Eily Allan

  • Simone Baumann-Pickering

  • Kate Bertko

  • Elizabeth Brasseale

  • Noelle Bowlin

  • Julie Dinasquet

  • Shannon Dolan

  • Bryce Ellman

  • Zack Gold

  • John Hildebrand

  • Ally Im

  • Eiren Jacobson

  • Ryan Kelly

  • Owen Liu

  • Parker MacCready

  • Krista Nichols

  • Kim Parsons

  • Erin Satterthwaite

  • Brice Semmens

  • Megan Shaffer

  • Ole Shelton

  • Cara Sucher

  • Tania Valdivia

  • Len Thomas

  • Andrew Thompson

  • Amy Van Cise

  • Jilian Xiong

Our Partners

Email
bertko@uw.edu

Phone
(206) 221-7714

This material is based upon research supported by the Office of Naval Research under Award Number (N00014-22-1-2719)