Environmental DNA (eDNA): A New Low-Cost Tool for Biodiversity Monitoring
UPSC Relevance
Prelims: Environment & Ecology (Biodiversity, Conservation, Monitoring techniques), Science & Technology (Biotechnology - DNA).
Mains: GS Paper 3 (Conservation, environmental pollution and degradation; Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life).
Key Highlights from the News
Main Discovery: Researchers have developed a new, cost-effective method to discover biodiversity in the rainforest canopies.
New Method: Instead of climbing trees or capturing animals, they collect and analyze DNA fragments dissolved in rainwater as it falls from leaves.
Scientific Name: This technology is known as Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis.
Result: Using this method, the presence of hundreds of species, including trees, frogs, birds, monkeys, and insects, was detected from the collected water.
Main Use: This method is effective for assessing environmental impact caused by human disturbance. For example, it helped identify biodiversity differences between natural forests and plantations.
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