NatureMetrics North America receives $159,136 from the Government of Ontario for development of eDNA-based biomonitoring of snakes

GUELPH, ON, March 21, 2024 /CNW/ - NatureMetrics North America is happy to announce receiving a funding award of $159,136 from the Government of Ontario through the Species at Risk Stewardship Program  for the Project "Adapted Sampling Protocol of Snakes Using Artificial Covers to Attract, Survey and Detect DNA of At-Risk Snakes".

This funding will help protect and recover many at-risk snake species and help determine where they occur so that their habitat can be appropriately managed and protected. Snakes are known to be a very cryptic species group, making detection and monitoring challenging. One frequently used survey technique involves the use of artificial cover object (ACO) surveys. ACOs provide an environmental cover under which reptiles may take refuge, allowing for systematic surveillance of open habitat and shedding pieces of tissue, mucus or feces containing DNA.  

The Project intends to use ACOs to research the feasibility of using eDNA (environmental DNA) to detect and survey for snake species. NatureMetrics will swab the underside surfaces of ACOs for eDNA deposited by reptiles occupying them. Metabarcoding will be used to potentially identify all snakes that have occupied the ACO, increasing the sensitivity of ACO surveys, and decreasing visual ID error.

The Project aims to benefit the following Ontario SAR with endangered, threatened, or special concern status: Blue Racer, Eastern Foxsnake; Massasauga Rattlesnake, Eastern Ribbonsnake, and Gray Ratsnake.

Prior to conducting field studies, several species of snakes including SAR will be genetically characterized to select the best marker for metabarcoding, and controlled enclosure experiments will be conducted to develop and optimize eDNA sampling techniques for field applications.

The project will be done in partnership with Scales Nature Park and Conservation Halton. Scales Nature Park will aid with providing swabs, sheds/tissue and faecal samples from captive snakes for DNA reference library and controlled enclosure experiments, followed by ACOs installation, monitoring and eDNA collection during field season. Conservation Halton will be involved in preliminary field trials and new ACOs installation in Conservation Halton parks, ACOs monitoring and eDNA collection during field season. All molecular biology work will be performed in the laboratories of NatureMetrics North America in Guelph, Ontario.

NatureMetrics is a world leader in delivering nature data and intelligence. It uses cutting-edge technology to generate biodiversity data at scale using environmental DNA (eDNA), Earth Observation and advanced data science and AI. NatureMetrics recently launched the world's first Nature Intelligence Platform powered by eDNA, bringing a scalable solution to biodiversity monitoring, equipping businesses for the new nature reporting boom. NatureMetrics works with 500 plus clients in over 100 countries across a wide range of industries, including energy, extractives, food and drink, and financial services, helping them to ensure they are compliant with emerging nature and biodiversity regulations. 

SOURCE Nature Metrics North America Ltd.

Dan Lacroix, [email protected]; Natalia Ivanova, [email protected]