Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Units Program: California
Education, Research and Technical Assistance for Managing Our Natural Resources

This project proposes to assess the potential of using environmental DNA in water samples as a tool for monitoring the endangered Tidewater Goby in lagoon and bay habitats. Environmental DNA is a cost-effective and noninvasive technique that has been successfully applied to a broad range of taxonomic groups, including fishes. Studies show that environmental DNA can closely track presence/absence and can be useful for monitoring species that cannot be detected using conventional field approaches. Despite apparent promise, insufficient testing has been conducted to determine the suitability of environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches for monitoring Tidewater Goby. This project has two major phases: 1. develop and test eDNA techniques, and 2. apply eDNA techniques for presence/absence detection in natural settings. This proposal is for the second phase. During this second phase, Humboldt State University and USFWS will collaborate to survey 15 water bodies in northern California to 1. employ traditional field surveys techniques for Tidewater Goby, 2. collect 1-5 water samples from each site and test water samples for tidewater presence/absence of Tidewater Goby DNA, and 3. evaluate suitability of QPCR for determining the presence/absence and/or relative abundance of Tidewater Goby.