Environmental DNA
"Environmental DNA" is simply a fancy term for the tiny pieces of skin, scales, feathers, and poop that animals leave behind in nature. To understand it better, imagine going for a walk with your dog and noticing that it stopped to take a poop. That poop contains your dog's DNA, which holds a lot of information about your furry friend. Similarly, when animals shed their skin or feathers, or when fish leave their scales in the water, all those little pieces of DNA float around and mix with the surrounding environment, including the water or soil.
Scientists can use this DNA to learn more about the animals that left it behind, without even seeing or catching the animals themselves! They collect and analyze samples of soil, water, or air to look for pieces of DNA that match the animals they are interested in studying. For example, if they want to learn more about a particular bird species, they can collect samples of bird poop from the ground or water where birds have been hanging out, and then test that poop for bird DNA.
Using environmental DNA helps scientists study animals in a way that is less invasive and can be more informative than traditional methods. Scientists can get a better understanding of which animals are present in a particular habitat, how many there are, and how they are doing, all without actually catching or disturbing them. And that's what makes environmental DNA so exciting and important for scientists studying the natural world!
Scientists can use this DNA to learn more about the animals that left it behind, without even seeing or catching the animals themselves! They collect and analyze samples of soil, water, or air to look for pieces of DNA that match the animals they are interested in studying. For example, if they want to learn more about a particular bird species, they can collect samples of bird poop from the ground or water where birds have been hanging out, and then test that poop for bird DNA.
Using environmental DNA helps scientists study animals in a way that is less invasive and can be more informative than traditional methods. Scientists can get a better understanding of which animals are present in a particular habitat, how many there are, and how they are doing, all without actually catching or disturbing them. And that's what makes environmental DNA so exciting and important for scientists studying the natural world!