It’s no surprise that along with the wildfire ash, pollen, dust and other particles that can be found floating in the air we breathe, there are also fragments of genetic material from plants and animals.
A new study by Canadian and British scientists reveals a novel way of harnessing that material to help track changes in the environment.
Those genetic fragments are known as environmental DNA (eDNA), that animals and plants shed through skin, scales, fur or excretion. They can give researchers clues to the biodiversity of an area by showing what creatures are present there at a much lower effort than other methods.
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