Broad-scale monitoring of land ecosystems with eDNA
eDGES v2 – Project 6
This project is an extension of v1 and, besides continuing to validate DNA-based tools for assessing terrestrial biodiversity, we also begin the development of an eDNA-based metric for terrestrial ecosystem condition evaluation. The initial focus is on streamlining sampling methods to improve accessibility and efficiency, followed by studying spatial and temporal variability to establish reliable monitoring protocols.
By engaging with and empowering a diverse group of end users—including indigenous ranger groups, citizen scientists, and land managers—the project will help to build capacity for long-term, community-led ecosystem monitoring. The outcomes of the case study at Olympic Dam in project v1 provided a foundation for expanding eDNA biomonitoring across Australia’s terrestrial ecosystems, particularly in regions where conventional monitoring remains impractical or prohibitively expensive.
Figure 6.1: Airborne DNA sampling at four locations across Western Australia. Sampling will be conducted every two months for one year to study temporal variation in environmental DNA presence (A – Agroecosystem ; B – Karri forest; C – Triodia grassland ; and D – Transient wetland.)
Figure 6.2: Curtin Professor Paul Nevil training the BHP Rehabilitation Team at the Yandi site for airborne DNA sampling in June 2025.
- The broad-scale study location was shifted from Olympic Dam in South Australia to the Pilbara due to logistics and alignment with other eDGES’ projects . A first field trip was conducted in June 2025.
- A study of eDNA presence over time has commenced (Figure 6.1 and 6.2).
- A workshop titled “How to integrate eDNA and remote sensing” was held in Perth in August 2025 with participants from Curtin, BHP, CSIRO and the Cary Institute of Ecosystem Studies. A manuscript outlying the outcomes of this workshop is being prepared.
- A large-scale eDNA sampling campaign in the Pilbara is planned to start in July 2026 to support the development of an ecosystem condition metric that integrates eDNA and remote sensing. Study areas will include BHP tenements, rehabilitation and analogue sites, pastoral stations, and national parks, covering the main land uses across the region.