eProbe: Sampling of Environmental DNA within Tree Canopies with Drones

Area of Science:

• Ecology
• Environmental Science
• Robotics

Background:

• Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis is crucial for biodiversity assessment, but sampling forest canopies is difficult.
• Traditional canopy sampling methods are labor-intensive and provide limited coverage.
• High-canopy environments pose significant challenges for effective eDNA collection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and validate a novel method for collecting eDNA from forest tree canopies using unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs).
• To assess the influence of sampling parameters on eDNA yield and community composition.
• To overcome limitations of traditional eDNA sampling in complex arboreal environments.

Main Methods:

• A custom robotic system with a winch and a specialized probe was designed for UAV-based eDNA collection.
• The probe was lowered into the canopy, collecting eDNA during descent and ascent.
• Winch control logic was optimized to minimize entanglement and maximize eDNA transfer.

Main Results:

• Ten eDNA samples were successfully collected from a rainforest canopy using the UAV system.
• eDNA metabarcoding identified 152 molecular operational taxonomic units (MOTUs), indicating high biodiversity.
• The study analyzed how probe interactions, depth, and duration affect DNA concentration and community data.

Conclusions:

• UAV-based eDNA sampling offers a promising, efficient solution for biodiversity assessment in challenging forest canopy environments.
• The developed robotic system effectively collects eDNA, overcoming previous sampling limitations.
• Further research will refine sampling strategies to optimize eDNA capture and analysis for ecological monitoring.