The Potential and Pitfalls of Environmental DNA in Cetacean Research

Jalalizadeh, Shiva (2023) The Potential and Pitfalls of Environmental DNA in Cetacean Research. Bachelor's Thesis, Biology.

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Abstract

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is genetic material released from an organism into its environment. It is used as a surveying tool in marine biology and has been attributed to numerous alleged capabilities over the years. Nevertheless, eDNA is still an emerging field of study, and the research on its validity is currently limited and potentially influenced by publication bias. This literature review is an examination of the claimed benefits and potential drawbacks or misinterpretations of eDNA. This review aims to provide an important reality check on the use of eDNA, through the question: “To what extent can environmental DNA be implemented to promote understanding of cetacean biodiversity?” An analysis of articles shows that while in some cases eDNA samples can result in positive identifications, many factors (e.g. oceanographic or environmental) need to be considered when interpreting its results. This review explores the current state of research conducted on eDNA and highlights the ad hoc nature of these studies. It critically discusses the eDNA-successes obtained and emphasizes the importance of not overselling eDNA as a substitute for well-established traditional surveying methods. Finally, this review highlights the gap in the literature for eDNA-failures and false‐negative results. Hereby, it emphasizes that additional field research is necessary to enable a direct comparison between eDNA and traditional methods to reach a conclusive determination on the superior approach.

Item Type:	Thesis (Bachelor's Thesis)
Supervisor name:	Palsboll, P.J.
Degree programme:	Biology
Thesis type:	Bachelor's Thesis
Language:	English
Date Deposited:	28 Jun 2023 10:02
Last Modified:	28 Jun 2023 10:02
URI:	https://fse.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/30156

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