Authors:

Ebony Ikeemeka

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About Paper:

Acommon issue in biodiversity studies is that the distribution and abundance of organisms can vary throughout time. Surveys completed at a single site multiple times during the year may yield different results. Quantifying this sample variation is important for designing conservation and restoration practices. Environmental DNA (eDNA) sequencing is one such method used to document fish diversity by detecting and identifying DNA shed by organisms into the environment. Compared to traditional methods, such as seining, trapping, electrical fishing, or netting, eDNA can be as or more cost-effective and efficient by detecting more species, including cryptic, invasive, or rare species. However, it is unclear how sensitive eDNA sequencing is to the time of year that samples are taken. To help address this question, in summer (June) and fall (October) 2025, eDNA filter samples were collected in the Fox River. Here, we present our eDNA results for fish communities, comparing diversity at the start and end of our sampling period, to test how time (and changes in water quality measured via YSI) affects diversity estimates. Fish spawning and nesting can extend from summer to fall, so we hypothesized that these seasons would have similar fish communities. By collecting 53 water samples across 5 sites, we found 73 fish species with eDNA in summer and fall. DNA was effective in detecting fish species unique to each season. Additionally, fish communities were similar in both seasons, indicating that sampling in summer and fall yields comparable results.

Source:

Loyola University Chicago

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Co-authors:

Ebony Ikeemeka