Defense Date

11-29-2022

Graduation Date

Spring 5-5-2023

Availability

Immediate Access

Submission Type

thesis

Degree Name

MS

Department

Environmental Science and Management (ESM)

Committee Chair

Brady Porter

Committee Member

Jan Janecka

Committee Member

John Stolz

Keywords

Environmental DNA, Unionids, Conservation, Sequencing, Biological Surveys

Abstract

North America is home to approximately one third of the world's freshwater mussel species. They are highly imperiled organisms due to habitat destruction and invasive species. Traditional surveys rely on visual identification of mussels, but individuals tend to be rare and difficult to identify. An alternative method is to extract environmental DNA (eDNA) from water samples, which has advantages over traditional sampling, including less sampling effort and fewer hazards to researchers and organisms. We conducted a review of the two main eDNA approaches: single-species detection and metabarcoding. We also developed and validated metabarcoding primers for the detection of native mussels. Four primer pairs in the mitochondrial gene cytochrome oxidase 1 were validated using an equimolar mock mixture, revealing their amplification bias. The eDNA methods described in this project could make surveys faster, more affordable, and more accurate, leading to more effective conservation of mussels and the environment.

Language

English

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