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Illustration by Annabel Driussi
UNESCO has launched a new program to collect, analyze, and monitor environmental DNA (AKA eDNA) to better understand biodiversity at its marine World Heritage sites. Scientists will collect genetic material from fish cells, mucus, and waste across multiple locations along with eDNA from soil, water, and air.
The two-year project will help experts assess the ecosystem’s vulnerability to climate change and its impacts on migration and distribution. Vladimir Ryabinin, UNESCO Assistant Director-General, explained, “eDNA sampling can provide an innovative, affordable, and long-awaited capacity to better understand the ocean ecosystems, their composition, and behavior, and to start managing ocean resources more sustainably.” The data collected will be published in the world’s most extensive open-access data system on marine species, the Ocean Biodiversity Information System (OBIS).
It’s about time we had a conversation about the birds and the bees…or in this case, the otters and the seagrass. A new study found that the ecological relationship between sea otters and the seagrass fields where they make their home is spurring the rapid reproduction of the plants. Otters dig up about 5% of […]
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By Amy Lupica, ODP Daily Editor An abandoned oil tanker off the coast of Yemen is deteriorating rapidly, and experts say that a hull breach could have far-reaching environmental impacts and threaten millions of people’s access to food and water supplies. The FSO SAFER tanker holds 1.1 million barrels of oil — more than four […]
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Last weekend, an estimated 144,000 gallons of heavy crude oil leaked from an underwater pipeline in California, making for one of the largest spills in recent state history. While federal regulators have enacted protections for some federal lands and waters, they’re still a long way from reaching President Biden’s 30×30 goal. But the longer they […]
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