Environmental
DNA

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material shed by living organisms into the soil, air, or water. Using advanced technologies, samples of this genetic material can be analyzed to tell us which species could be present in an area. Since 2020, the River Institute’s FINS project, in collaboration with the Lougheed Lab at Queen’s University, has incorporated the collection of eDNA into the project’s surveys, offering a unique opportunity to compare eDNA-based monitoring with traditional sampling methods using seine nets. In 2022, the River Institute acquired funding to purchase a real-time qPCR instrument to begin building in-house eDNA capacity. In 2024, the River Institute initiated planning for the construction of a new eDNA laboratory as part of the establishment of the Climate Change Observatory of Ontario (ECCO-Ontario), a new research partnership that includes Queen’s University, the River Institute, and the Mohawk Council of Akwesasne, among other institutions.