Environmental DNA as a new method for early detection of New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)

Caren S. Goldberg; Adam Sepulveda; Andrew Ray; Jeremy A. Baumgardt; Lisette P. Waits

doi:10.1899/13-046.1

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Environmental DNA as a new method for early detection of New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum)

Caren S. Goldberg·Adam Sepulveda·Andrew Ray·Jeremy A. Baumgardt·Lisette P. Waits

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Abstract

Early detection of aquatic invasive species is a critical task for management of aquatic ecosystems. This task is hindered by the difficulty and cost of surveying aquatic systems thoroughly. The New Zealand mudsnail (Potamopyrgus antipodarum) is a small, invasive parthenogenic mollusk that can reach very high population densities and severely affects ecosystem functioning. To assist in the early detection of this invasive species, we developed and validated a highly sensitive environmental deoxyribonucleic acid (eDNA) assay. We used a dose–response laboratory experiment to investigate the relationship between New Zealand mudsnail density and eDNA detected through time. We documented that as few as 1 individual in 1.5 L of water for 2 d could be detected with this method, and that eDNA from this species may remain detectable for 21 to 44 d after mudsnail removal. We used the eDNA method to confirm the presence of New Zealand mudsnail eDNA at densities as low as 11 to 144 snails/m 2 in a eutrophic 5 th -order river. Combined, these results demonstrate the high potential for eDNA surveys to assist with early detection of a widely distributed invasive aquatic invertebrate.

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Freshwater Science Article

Source-reported bounding extent: -46.64124° to -34.45066° latitude; 166.50914° to 178.51709° longitude. This indicates report coverage, not an exact sampling location. View area on OpenStreetMap.

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Caren S. Goldberg, Adam Sepulveda, Andrew Ray, Jeremy A. Baumgardt, Lisette P. Waits. 2013. Environmental DNA as a new method for early detection of New Zealand mudsnails (Potamopyrgus antipodarum). https://doi.org/10.1899/13-046.1

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