[Coral-List] eDNA can be used to measure coral cover

Douglas Fenner douglasfennertassi at gmail.com
Mon Jun 7 20:13:00 UTC 2021


Rapid assessment of coral cover from environmental DNA in Hawaii

https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/edn3.8

open-access

To quote from the abstract: "Given its broad applicability and ease of
use..."   Yes, everyone on every tiny island nation with coral reefs can do
PCR on their coffee break, it is as easy as using a pencil and paper to
write.  No equipment or prior knowledge needed.  Obviously the authors have
no idea what the real world is like in other island nations outside their
lab in the giant and well funded first-world University of Hawaii.

    I note that they had to develop primers specific to the corals in
Hawaii.  So looks like for other places that would have to be done over,
for much higher diversity, Hawaii has a relatively low coral diversity.

Please excuse the sarcasm, but really.   Cheers, Doug

-- 
Douglas Fenner
Lynker Technologies, LLC, Contractor
NOAA Fisheries Service
Pacific Islands Regional Office
Honolulu
and:
Coral Reef Consulting
PO Box 997390
Pago Pago, American Samoa 96799-6298  USA

Slashing emissions by 2050 isn't enough.  We can bring down temperature now.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/climate-deadlines-super-pollutants-hfcs-methane/2021/04/15/acb8c612-9d7d-11eb-b7a8-014b14aeb9e4_story.html

Humans have destroyed 97% of earth's ecosystems
(well, more like only 3% are fully intact)
https://a.msn.com/r/2/BB1fH7DT?m=en-us&referrerID=InAppShare

Study: One-third of plant and animal species could be gone in 50 years.
(but 2-4 times worse in tropics)
https://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-02/uoa-soo021220.php
https://www.pnas.org/content/117/8/4211


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