Identifying Species through Swabbing eDNA

A study was done by swabbing two dozen leaves in a tropical forest in Uganda, and it turned out to result in identifying 52 animals in that area. The swab picked up DNA from the environment shed from 52 animals. DNA is not just found inside a cell, it is found all over. So by analyzing environmental DNA, or eDNA, the species can be revealed. Another study was done at the University of Greifswald in Germany with flies. The eDNA is picked up from flies that contains DNA from dead animals and feces. This study was done with another biologist who collected eDNA from the air. Both of the results were compared. The eDNA resulted in many birds and mammals that were known to live in the park. Another researcher has been working on the same type of study and mentioned that he had bird species found in the eDNA that he hadn’t seen before. Sampling eDNA is crucial especially with biodiversity declining and seeing many more species becoming extinct. 

These studies are the answer to a new way to monitor biodiversity in any ecosystem. More than 99% of all species that have lived on Earth have gone extinct. The number of species will degrade as time goes on due to the human population. If scientists can use this information and use this type of study on a larger scale, there can be new results and findings on any species in any area. And with these results, scientists and researchers can find a way to act accordingly and help species and the ecosystem as a whole. The tools required for this study are definitely more convenient since they are only swabs compared to other devices which is another good reason why this is a more approachable technique.

Sources:

https://www.worldwildlife.org/magazine/issues/summer-2022/articles/how-scientists-use-edna-to-monitor-biodiversity#:~:text=Water—like%20soil%2C%20air%2C,an%20ecosystem%20and%20its%20species.

https://www.sciencenews.org/article/environmental-dna-leaf-swab-technique-biodiversity

Modified genes can distort wild cotton’s interactions with insects

 

    In Mexico, acquired herbicide resistance and insecticide genes can disrupt cotton’s ecosystem. Operations created to modified genes can have a big impact on how they can affect an ecosystem, specifically, Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula cotton plants. These plant genes in Mexico that originated from genetically modified crops have been discovered to affect other native plants around them. For example, their newfound biology has a gene that can cause cotton to exclude less nectar. This essentially prohibits the plant’s ability to attract ants to protect it from plant-eaters, allowing them to be eaten. This is only one example of an escaped gene. Another example includes plants producing excessive amounts of nectar, allowing more ants to protect it and repel pollinators. Discovering altered genes in wild plants is important because many ecosystems can be drastically altered if plant genes continue to become modified. It's important to observe these changes to see if it’s beneficial or harmful to the environment. It is very controversial whether or not to allow genetic modification in plants and I find it interesting the impact that the modification caused to these wild cotton. 

Links

1.https://www.sciencenews.org/article/modified-genes-distort-wild-cotton-plant-insect-interactions

2.https://www.dailyadvent.com/news/a76181c3e120a8d5c173d7d6cf6b01fa-Genetically-modified-genes-can-distort-wild-cottons-interactions-with-insects

Fish Will Start Losing Sense of Smell as Carbon Dioxide Levels Rise, Study Finds

With human technologies thriving, more pollution is prevalent. As carbon dioxide is released, 30% of it is absorbed by the ocean and turns into carbonic acid. Studies have recorded that with an increase of carbon dioxide, fish will lose their sense of smell with the chemicals in the water. This makes it harder for them to detect food, predators; especially when they cannot see clearly. Fish are important because they are part of the natural ecosystem and food chain. Scientists placed sea bass in the carbon dioxide level that is predicted in 2100. The results showed that fish had to be 42% closer to a chemical to detect it and that they were behaving differently (they didn't swim as much and only moved five seconds at a time).

This is a critical problem that needs to be addressed promptly. With fish losing their sense of smell, their populations will decline and that will cause the aquatic ecosystem to collapse since fish have to feed on other fish. Not only will the aquatic environment be effected, but humans and other animals also feed on fish. The decline in fish will have a major effect on both the ecosystem and food chain.

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