Tag #Air Quality Monitoring

How can existing air quality monitoring networks be repurposed to provide comprehensive biodiversity data?

Scientists have successfully used environmental DNA (eDNA) from air samples collected across the U.K. to monitor biodiversity on a national scale, identifying hundreds of insect, spider, plant, fungi, bird, and mammal species. This method, utilizing existing air quality monitoring stations, offers a novel, cost-effective approach to large-scale biodiversity monitoring, complementing traditional methods and potentially revealing elusive species.