Scientists have found that the air around us carries traces of animals in our midst, and this discovery will change the way researchers monitor and track populations of vulnerable or extinct species.
Two new studies conducted by separate teams of scientists show that environmental DNA can be identified by vacuum devices that capture and filter airborne samples in places inhabited by animals.
"We were astonished when we saw the results," says evolutionary genomics researcher Kristine Bohmann.
We detected 49 species in just 40 samples.
The sloth is near the air samples being collected. The person is Christian Bendix.
The air samples taken at three different locations in the Copenhagen Zoo, not only detected eDNA from animals living in the facility, but also animals living outside it, and even genetic traces of meat fed to some of the zoo animals, such as chicken and beef.
The technique described in the paper could lead to new air-based methods for sampling animal eDNA, which in the past has mostly been captured from water or soil.
The research team was not sure if atmospheric capture was possible.
"We didn't think vacuuming animal DNA from the air would work," he says. This was a high reward science with the potential to push the boundaries of biomonitoring. The sky is not the limit.
A team of scientists in the UK were researching the same thing at the same time.
The second group took their air samples at the zoo park using filters attached to vacuum pumps.
Elizabeth collected airborne DNA. Elizabeth is a person.
There were a few surprises in the mix of 25 different species.
"We were able to collect eDNA from animals that were hundreds of meters away from where we were testing without a significant drop in the concentration, and even from outside sealed buildings," says Clare, who is now affiliated with York University in Canada.
The animals were inside, but their genetic material was escaping.
After both teams finished their research, they realized they had discovered the same thing, and the scientists welcomed the chance to replicate the findings using the same methods.
It's important because it supports the idea that the research community will be able to use these techniques to remotely monitor animal populations in the wild, which can often be difficult to find and track using traditional means of observation.
The crisis of declining biodiversity exceeds our current ability to monitor it, according to a paper by the team.
If airborne eDNA sampling is developed, it will have major implications for global biomonitoring.
The researchers acknowledge that more work needs to be done before we can realize and utilize the full potential of capturing airborne eDNA, but this chance co-discovery is an encouraging development in some very trying times, even if the vacuum setup seems a little crazy.
"This is a crazy idea," said Clare. "We are sucking the genes out of the sky."
Current Biology reported the findings.
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