eDNA Survey
ArcGIS Feature Service
Click here.
InPort Metadata
Yes, see here.
Description
Scientists at NOAA’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center (NEFSC) are using environmental DNA (eDNA) to identify fish communities and monitor ecosystems by collecting a water sample and analyzing the DNA found in it, identifying the species that left it behind without capturing a single animal. As animals swim, they shed scales, tissue, and waste, leaving traces of DNA in the water. A water sample is first collected from the ocean and filtered to concentrate DNA in it. NOAA scientists then make millions of copies of a target DNA region through polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to make enough genetic material for high throughput sequencing. The metabarcoding process described above for eDNA analysis allows scientists to look for many species in the same sample. The final step is like a matching game, in which the DNA sequences are compared with a reference library of known species to find a match. The eDNA method is particularly useful for detecting species that are not easily captured, including rare or migratory species. It can also help in areas that are difficult to sample because of challenging ocean conditions, sensitive habitats, or a rugged seafloor. An eDNA analysis provides a snapshot of the community of species at the time of sampling and over time. This can help us detect shifts in marine ecosystems. eDNA samples have been collected on NOAA Ecosystem Monitoring (EcoMon) surveys since 2019. These samples will help develop best eDNA practices using metabarcoding, an innovative way to determine what fish species live in what parts of the ocean without actually seeing any fish.
Spatial Extent
Layers
| id | name | type | geometryType |
|---|---|---|---|
| 0 | SMIT_EDNA_STATIONS | Feature Layer | esriGeometryPoint |
| 1 | SMIT_EDNA_STRATA | Feature Layer | esriGeometryPolygon |
Fields
SMIT_EDNA_STATIONS
Description
Sampling stations for the eDNA Survey.
| name | alias | description | dataType |
|---|---|---|---|
| OID | OID | Original object ID | esriFieldTypeBigInteger |
| SURVEY_NAME | Survey name | Name of NEFSC scientific survey | esriFieldTypeString |
| EM_SEQ | Em sequence | Em sequence number | esriFieldTypeDouble |
| FIXED_SEQ | Fixed sequence | Fixed sequence number | esriFieldTypeDouble |
| NAME | Name | Unique strata/station ID | esriFieldTypeString |
| REGION | Strata region | Strata groupings (MAB = Mid-Atlantic Bight, SNE = Southern New England, GB = Georges Bank, GOM = Gulf of Maine) | esriFieldTypeString |
| STRATA | Strata | Unique strata ID number | esriFieldTypeDouble |
| DEPLOYMENT | Deployment | Equipment deployment type | esriFieldTypeString |
| BONGO_PROTOCOL | Bongo protocol | Bongo protocol | esriFieldTypeString |
| DEPTH | Depth (m) | Station depth in meters | esriFieldTypeDouble |
| LAT | Latitude | Latitude of survey station in decimal degrees | esriFieldTypeDouble |
| LON | Longitude | Longitude of survey station in decimal degrees | esriFieldTypeDouble |
SMIT_EDNA_STRATA
Description
Scientific survey strata for the eDNA Survey.
| name | alias | description | dataType |
|---|---|---|---|
| OID | OID | Original object ID | esriFieldTypeBigInteger |
| SURVEY_NAME | Survey name | Name of NEFSC scientific survey | esriFieldTypeString |
| STR_NAME | Strata name | Name of the strata numeric from 1 to 47, except for one stratum that is split into two polygons. Strata 38 is split and the name was changed to distinguish the east and west polygons. | esriFieldTypeDouble |
| NUMOFPOLY | Number of polygons | Number of polygons that make up the strata (1 or 2) | esriFieldTypeDouble |
| NUMOFSTA | Number of stations | Number of plankton stations sampled in the strata for current ECOMON/ eDNA program | esriFieldTypeDouble |
| REGION | Strata region | Strata groupings (MAB = Mid-Atlantic Bight, SNE = Southern New England, GB = Georges Bank, GOM = Gulf of Maine) | esriFieldTypeString |
| TYPE | Type | Strata description (C = coastal, IS = inner-shelf, MS = mid-shelf, SB = shelf break, Bank = bank, Off = off-shelf, Basin = deep basin) | esriFieldTypeString |
| ACRES | Area (acres) | Area of strata in acres | esriFieldTypeDouble |