| Summary: | Environmental DNA is a method where DNA shed by organisms into the environment is captured and analysed to give insights into various aspects of the ecosystem. Since detection of organisms is based on capturing theoretically as little as a single strand of shed DNA, the method is highly sensitive, cost-effective, and can be applied to any target organism or groups of organisms. These advantages, among others, have led eDNA methods to become a popular tool in environmental monitoring programs. Recent advances in DNA sequencing technologies have lowered the cost of analysis and allowed for many different applications of eDNA to become viable. Despite its widespread use, there are still a limited number of studies that have been conducted in remote regions such as the Canadian Arctic. This project aims to adapt eDNA methods for use in the Canadian Arctic, specifically in the monitoring of several lakes in the vicinity of established and developing mining sites through metabarcoding. Six of the eight target fish species were detected throughout the project, with the addition of one unanticipated species. The established mine site showed little change, while the developing site showed indications of fish movement that were consistent with the change in affected water bodies. Additional work supported the use of eDNA methods in frozen environments where sampling is required through ice. Overall, eDNA sampling was successfully employed in monitoring for fish presence near an active and developing mine in the Canadian Arctic. October 2024
|
|---|