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Environmental DNA Sequences and Extractions from Six Reserves

About the project

A 2017-2020 collaborative research project tested the use of eDNA methods to identify fish communities, assess biodiversity, and detect invasive crabs in different types of estuaries and connected streams. The team conducted baseline community assessments for fish at five reserve sites and conducted a survey of anadromous fish in a tributary stream at the sixth reserve. In addition to providing recommendations and protocols for eDNA sampling, the team has made processed eDNA datasets available to enable comparisons and serve as an example for others considering eDNA-based monitoring or research.

About the data

The project team has made available three types data related to eDNA sequences and extractions from Wells, Great Bay, Hudson, Apalachicola, South Slough, and Heʻeia National Estuarine Research Reserves. The data are described in detail in this dataset description.

  1. 12S sequence data and summary of fish species
  2. 18S sequence data
  3. Archived DNA extractions from water samples from 6 reserves

Summary data tables

Summary tables of processed eDNA data addressing specific topics are also available. These excel spreadsheets contain MiFish sequences and fish identification for five reserves. Each table contains a list of samples, eukaryote sequences detected in each sample, and a species ID associated with each sequence. Note: eDNA data reflects DNA present in the sample, and is not always mean that the fish is actually present. This primer also picks up some non-fish species, so you will also see some birds and mammals (including humans).

Data access and archival

  • Sequences: All genetic sequences generated by this project have been archived and made publicly available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information, BioProject ID: PRJNA667067.
  • Physical samples: Aliquots of DNA samples extracted from water have been preserved in freezers at the University of New Hampshire Hubbard Center for Genome Studies and can be requested for use in other analyses.
  • Data summaries: Processed datasets, data visualization tools, and related resources are available at the project webpage: estuarydna.org.

Questions about this data, including requests to use to the DNA extractions, can be directed to: Alison Watts, University of New Hampshire, Email: alison.watts@unh.edu.