Big data on a little chip: New eDNA tools save time and money on invasive species detection and monitoring

In a field that is hyper-focused on efficiency and cost savings, environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling - or detecting fish and wildlife from traces of genetic material in the environment - has become the gold standard. Over the last decade, eDNA sampling has emerged as a powerful and cost-effective tool for national forests to obtain the data they need to make management decisions. Now, Forest Service scientists have created "biochips" that generate these high-value data even more efficiently, buoying the value of eDNA monitoring capacity far into the future. Music courtesy of Souvenir Thread. Read the Science You Can Use and access related content on Treesearch.