Investigating use of environmental DNA (eDNA) in Michigan streams to detect feral swine (Sus scrofa)

[摘要] Invasive feral swine can damage ecosystems, disrupt plant and animal populations, and transmit diseases.Monitoring feral swine populations depends on expensive and/or labor intensive techniques such as aerial surveys, field surveys for sign, trail cameras, and landowner reports.Environmental DNA (eDNA) provides an alternative method for locating feral swine.From May 2017 to April 2018, domestic or feral swine DNA was artificially introduced into Bluff and Black Creeks in mid-Michigan.Water samples and data on various stream variables were collected at the location of DNA insertion and along a 400 m transect to investigate factors affecting swine DNA detection.Top models portraying presence of swine eDNA were selected based on Akaike’s Information Criterion corrected for low sample sizes (AICc).Model-averaging was used to portray parameter estimates from competing models, which included season, collection method, distance downstream from DNA introduction, water temperature, water velocity, and stream type.Two variables significantly affected detection of swine DNA, season and distance from the insertion point.Detection of swine DNA and season had an inverse relationship; odds of detecting swine eDNA decreased 54% each time the seasons changed from winter to spring, spring to summer, and summer to fall.As distance increased downstream from the introduced source point, the odds of DNA detection increased by 111% every 100 m (sampled up to 400 m) beyond the insertion point.The research confirmed swine DNA can be detected in streams up to 400 m from the source point and was influenced by season.Future eDNA sampling for feral swine should occur in the winter or spring.The results provide an important foundation for field application of utilizing eDNA as an alternative technique to monitor feral swine in northern regions of the US.

[发布机构] University of Michigan

[效力级别] environmental DNA

[关键词] eDNA;environmental DNA;feral swine;stream;Wildlife management;Biology;Wildlife conservation;Biology