eDNA air sampling for on-farm and adjacent biodiversity at Dookie

Testing whether existing air sampling filters can capture biodiversity information in the form of environmental DNA (eDNA).

Project Summary

Could the air filters already used for atmospheric testing also reveal what species live nearby? This pilot project at the University of Melbourne's Dookie Farm will test whether existing air sampling filters can capture biodiversity information in the form of environmental DNA (eDNA). Working at Dookie Farm and adjacent bushland reserve, the team will pilot a novel approach to biodiversity monitoring that could provide baseline data for detecting native species, pest species, and changes in biodiversity over time.

What are we interested in?

Baseline biodiversity data is crucial to detect loss or decline of biodiversity and ecosystem services. At Dookie, ongoing efforts to restore the bushland reserve and improve on-farm biodiversity lack comprehensive reference data. Detection of pest species is particularly important in agricultural settings, and eDNA offers a potentially quick and useful monitoring tool.

The goals of our project

To pilot whether atmospheric sampling filters can capture airborne eDNA for biodiversity monitoring; compare species detected with existing native species lists for Dookie; analyse detectability using ecological models; and create a temporal database of eDNA and atmospheric conditions for future research.

Outcomes / activities

Two-day workshop on Parkville campus to finalise experimental design; sample collection from existing air filtering probes at Dookie; DNA extraction and metabarcoding targeting plants, vertebrates, and arthropods; species database for Dookie and the bushland reserve; preliminary data to support future grant applications for broader biodiversity cataloguing across Dookie campus.