eDNA - Metagenomy seabed mapping

Offentlig prosjektsammendrag

Present requirements for environmental monitoring (EM) of the sediment ecosystem are based on decades of experience from quantitative studies of macrofauna biodiversity taken by grabs. Monitoring of the water column is focused on examining impacts from specific discharges on individuals, but there is a gradual shift from such impact measurements at individual level to examining effects in several trophic levels of the ecosystem (Norwegian Environmental Agency, 2015). An increasing focus on cost reduction and HSE performance, and the development of advanced molecular detection to characterize environmental samples (metabarcoding) allows for new ways of doing environmental monitoring. This project explores the use of targeted quantitative DNA assay for cost-effective surveillance of early changes in biodiversity in relation to Oil & Gas activities. The aim is to develop and adapt methods to identify and quantify key indicator species from marine benthic and pelagic samples using DNA-based methodologies. The proposed methodologies will be used as proxies of impact and biodiversity changes in environmental samples. They will be established for routine assays and optimized for monitoring at sites of interest.