Armed with plastic pots, probes and the science of eDNA, researchers in Gloucestershire are searching for evidence of the critically endangered fish
The astonishing secrets being revealed by the science of environmental DNA (eDNA) are revolutionising the way in which we study and protect biodiversity, from the densest tropical jungle to the deepest ocean trench. But standing beside a ditch in the Gloucestershire countryside with a team from the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust (WWT), it soon becomes apparent that collecting this biological calling card can still be very rudimentary.
A plastic pot attached to a piece of string is cast into the murky water and, once full, reeled back in, sealed and labelled. A slightly more scientific-looking probe is then sent into the water to measure pH levels before the team moves on to sample the next pool.
About Author
More Stories
UK shortage of critical drug forcing pancreatic cancer patients to skip meals
Exercise ‘better than drugs’ to stop cancer returning after treatment, trial finds
Elon Musk shows he still has the White House’s ear on Trump’s Middle East trip