Knowledge Hub

Explore our repository of research outputs and information.

We aim to share and communicate our research, to benefit New Zealand and the international community. You can browse, filter by category or type, or search by keywords.

Miles Tangaroa under the sea 2

Case study: Filter-feeding sponges as eDNA traps to monitor marine biodiversity baselines and change

Year Published: 2023
Document Type: Case Studies
Ownership: Antarctic Science Platform
Summary: A new environmental monitoring technique developed by Antarctic Science Platform researchers uses filter-feeding sponges as natural environmental DNA (eDNA) samplers. This technique has been successfully demonstrated to monitor the marine biodiversity and biogeography in the Antarctic and Southern Ocean and to identify changes. This new approach will support the monitoring ambitions of the Ross Sea region Marine Protected Area.