New molecular tools for monitoring freshwater biodiversity using aquatic environmental DNA

Biodiversity in freshwater ecosystems is under threat, difficult to monitor and under-represented in biodiversity and conservation planning. Two exciting developments in genetics hold the potential to revolutionise biodiversity monitoring and assessment. These are the ability to acquire DNA directly from the environment and next-generation sequencing technology. This research will provide an efficient new biodiversity tool that will provide an unprecedented breadth (accurate surveying of all fish species in an ecosystem) and depth (species identification and genetic data) of biodiversity information. I will evaluate this new tool using a case study of freshwater ecosystems in Australia's biodiversity hotspot, southwestern Australia.