Sophie Harris
@sophiesww.bsky.social
PhD Candidate @Newcastle exploring changes in biodiversity in ponds using eDNA. C permit BTO ringer and bird nerd 🐦🐦⬛🦉🦅 Gloucestershire 🏡
A second Easter treat! Just out for an afternoon walk in the woods when I found a firecrest!! Not sure if there have been any records of those in Standish Woods but a very welcome visitor! #GlosBirds
April 20, 2025 at 4:40 PM
A second Easter treat! Just out for an afternoon walk in the woods when I found a firecrest!! Not sure if there have been any records of those in Standish Woods but a very welcome visitor! #GlosBirds
Really great talk Danni! I feel like it's obvious that there are individuals in seabird colonies but it seems so overlooked in research and had completely slipped my mind! Great to see you again ☺️
April 8, 2025 at 1:35 PM
Really great talk Danni! I feel like it's obvious that there are individuals in seabird colonies but it seems so overlooked in research and had completely slipped my mind! Great to see you again ☺️
Very good observation thank you!
April 3, 2025 at 6:02 AM
Very good observation thank you!
Thank you! It's just presence or absence. I'm not sure if you'll ever be able to quantify individuals but who knows where the technology will take us!
April 2, 2025 at 5:01 PM
Thank you! It's just presence or absence. I'm not sure if you'll ever be able to quantify individuals but who knows where the technology will take us!
This study demonstrated that heron eDNA does disperse throughout the lake, up to 120m from source.
It shows eDNA as a powerful tool for monitoring wetland birds.
The next step will be to analyse the winter samples.
Thank you for reading!
6/6
April 2, 2025 at 2:40 PM
This study demonstrated that heron eDNA does disperse throughout the lake, up to 120m from source.
It shows eDNA as a powerful tool for monitoring wetland birds.
The next step will be to analyse the winter samples.
Thank you for reading!
6/6
Results
Heron DNA was detected in all sediment samples along the four transects.
Transect 4 had the highest quantity of positive droplets which decreased as the distance from the heronry increased.
There was no correlation between distance from the heronry and the number of positive droplets.
5/6
Heron DNA was detected in all sediment samples along the four transects.
Transect 4 had the highest quantity of positive droplets which decreased as the distance from the heronry increased.
There was no correlation between distance from the heronry and the number of positive droplets.
5/6
April 2, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Results
Heron DNA was detected in all sediment samples along the four transects.
Transect 4 had the highest quantity of positive droplets which decreased as the distance from the heronry increased.
There was no correlation between distance from the heronry and the number of positive droplets.
5/6
Heron DNA was detected in all sediment samples along the four transects.
Transect 4 had the highest quantity of positive droplets which decreased as the distance from the heronry increased.
There was no correlation between distance from the heronry and the number of positive droplets.
5/6
Method
16 samples along four transects leading from a heronry were taken just after the breeding season, and 6 months after the herons had left.
A species specific eDNA assay was developed using Droplet Digital PCR which can detect and quantify the amount of even very small traces of DNA.
4/6
16 samples along four transects leading from a heronry were taken just after the breeding season, and 6 months after the herons had left.
A species specific eDNA assay was developed using Droplet Digital PCR which can detect and quantify the amount of even very small traces of DNA.
4/6
April 2, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Method
16 samples along four transects leading from a heronry were taken just after the breeding season, and 6 months after the herons had left.
A species specific eDNA assay was developed using Droplet Digital PCR which can detect and quantify the amount of even very small traces of DNA.
4/6
16 samples along four transects leading from a heronry were taken just after the breeding season, and 6 months after the herons had left.
A species specific eDNA assay was developed using Droplet Digital PCR which can detect and quantify the amount of even very small traces of DNA.
4/6
This study used a heronry in Gloucestershire as a natural experiment to detect the spatial and temporal patterns of heron eDNA detection in sediment. The herons are only present during the breeding season, increasing the input DNA from feathers, egg shells fecal matter.
3/6
3/6
April 2, 2025 at 2:40 PM
This study used a heronry in Gloucestershire as a natural experiment to detect the spatial and temporal patterns of heron eDNA detection in sediment. The herons are only present during the breeding season, increasing the input DNA from feathers, egg shells fecal matter.
3/6
3/6
Introduction
Environmental DNA methods are often used to detect the presence/absence of species. Using sediment eDNA allows past environments to be reconstructed, yet little is known about how DNA moves through lake surface sediment.
2/6
Environmental DNA methods are often used to detect the presence/absence of species. Using sediment eDNA allows past environments to be reconstructed, yet little is known about how DNA moves through lake surface sediment.
2/6
April 2, 2025 at 2:40 PM
Introduction
Environmental DNA methods are often used to detect the presence/absence of species. Using sediment eDNA allows past environments to be reconstructed, yet little is known about how DNA moves through lake surface sediment.
2/6
Environmental DNA methods are often used to detect the presence/absence of species. Using sediment eDNA allows past environments to be reconstructed, yet little is known about how DNA moves through lake surface sediment.
2/6
Oh he went there... incredible ❤️
February 16, 2025 at 7:10 PM
Oh he went there... incredible ❤️