Me stood next to my conference poster titled "Restoring tidal freshwater zones: Exploring the use of environmental DNA to monitor fish communities" with a portrait of guy looming behind the poster board.

First conference and first poster of my PhD done!✅️✅️
Had a great time @royalsociety.org for #UKDNAWG25
Can't wait for next year!

Great to see this conference kicking off with Gideon Henderson, we’re presenting our own biodiversity assessment methods here at The Royal Society with Prof. Simon Creer and Laura Wood for the SUPERB project #UKDNAWG25 #eDNA

Thank you so much to all the wonderful participants at #ukdnawg25! It’s been such an amazing couple of days! A few thank you so coming up…

Another great and final day at the @ukdnawg.bsky.social #UKDNAWG25 meeting. Although I gave just a speed talk on my Pitcairn #eDNA work, it seemed well received 😊

I also got to break out this amazing lime green jumpsuit for a #WhatIWoreInScience as a #WomanInSTEM

Echoing thanks to @royalsociety.org and @ukdnawg.bsky.social for hosting a great 2 days of broadening horizon talks, integrating more disciplines, countries and synergies into the #UKDNAWG25. Looking forwards to more @meebangor.bsky.social contributions to #eDNA research!

Disappointed I couldn’t make this years #UKDNAWG25 @ukdnawg.bsky.social meeting. Good to see the forensic application of eDNA in criminal investigations being discussed. But, nationally, progress is glacial - the @ukhomeoffice.bsky.social & other depts really need to take action to support this.

And that’s a wrap! Thank you very much to @royalsociety.org, organising committee, session chairs, speakers, panellists and student helpers for a fantastic conference and we’ll see you next year! #UKDNAWG25

Henrik Cornelisson van de Ven of TNO describes formation of Dutch #eDNA working group and creation of National #eDNA Framework for the Netherlands. Many more meeting and fundings needed but lots of motivation! #UKDNAWG25

4/4

Ben Price @nhm.org gives update on last 5 years of UK Barcode of Life. Many gaps filled but better gap analysis needed to identify and fill those remaining. Next step is developed curated databases for UK and Europe! #UKDNAWG25

3/4

Tristan Biggs of PML Applications reviews use of #eDNA #metabarcoding for inshore #fish. Some methodological commonalities emerging. Species detection generally greater with #eDNA. Primer comparison needed as well as roadmap review and development of minimum standards #UKDNAWG25

2/4

Speed talks!

Caroline Howard @sangerinstitute.bsky.social gives update on Tree of Life project. Number of sequences are increasing every day, with slight bias towards Lepidoptera but also spanning all taxonomic groups. Fabulous genomic resource for the wider community to use #UKDNAWG25

1/4

Nicholas Dunn from @naturalengland.bsky.social discussing need for metadata reporting & lack of standards. Identified key minimum metadata needed to be reported. Important to also follow FAIR data guidelines. Can then assess confidence in data produced in conjunction w validation tools #UKDNAWG25

Project, sample, amplification (single species), sequencing and ASV/OTU data required which enable confidence assessment of the data. Templates for upload to @nbntrust.bsky.social have been produced with tool for adapting to @gbif.org #UKDNAWG25

Now @nidunn.bsky.social on importance of metadata for publishing and mobilising #metabarcoding data. Metadata key to understanding how species records were generated and making confidence judgement. FAIR #eDNA project has established workflow which @naturalengland.bsky.social have adopted #UKDNAWG25

@lynseyrharper.bsky.social #eDNA assay validation is necessary but nothing for metabarcoding. Framework of 5 levels constructed. Validation framework requires 48 minimum criteria to be met to achieve level 1. Different environments may mean that an assay has multiple validation levels #UKDNAWG25

Lyndall Pereira da Conceicoa talking about BIOSCAN. The aim to future proof and biobank DNA. Successfully scaled number of traps around the UK. Bringing in taxonomy experts to confirm IDs and improve ref databases.
Sequenced 170k samples thus far. Live interactive results shared. #eDNA #UKDNAWG25

@lyndallp.bsky.social gives insights and challenges from BIOSCAN. Scaling up, taxonomic bias + data quality have been big challenges. Sampling has ramped up over years. Most samples dominated by Diptera, but many taxa only seen once. Good coverage of UK habitats. Data platform now live #UKDNAWG25

FAIR #eDNA data and transparent workflows are essential. Harmonisation should come after standardisation. International collaboration and partnership will drive progress #UKDNAWG25

Different labs can produce vastly different results which leads to ‘eDNA doesn’t work’ - ring and proficiency testing is key. Establishing minimum standards (e.g. sequencing depth) and metadata reporting is crucial. Stringency of standards will vary by taxonomic group #UKDNAWG25

Last session of #UKDNAWG25 is standards, best practice, current knowledge gaps and future opportunities. @leeselab.bsky.social discusses how we go from wild west of #eDNA to standards. Challenges are limited comparability of methods and unequal access to technical infrastructure and funding.

Really thankful for the opportunity to present at #UKDNAWG25 - couldn’t ask for a lovelier audience!

@leeselab.bsky.social #eDNA can contribute to global biodiversity goals. Its use and outcomes proven many times over. It’s scalable, reliable and cost effective. But why is global uptake slow? Barriers like unequal access to technical infrastructure #UKDNAWG25

Claire Carvell @ukceh.bsky.social presents results of DNA barcoding through @pomscheme.bsky.social using BIOSCAN pipeline. High quality sequences that could largely be identified to species level obtained. Seasonal patterns in community composition found #UKDNAWG25

6/6

Penelope Watt @sheffielduni.bsky.social compared #eDNA to hand sorting to assess impact of land management on #earthworm diversity. #eDNA detected same species as hand sorting. More species in leys than arable land #UKDNAWG25

5/6

Bryony Jones @ukceh.bsky.social leveraging public genomic data repositories for #microbial modelling and Soil Health Bioindication. Strong potential but also challenges with inconsistent metadata accompanying genomic data #UKDNAWG25

4/6

Tamara Schenekar used #eDNA from waterholes to assess #terrestrial vertebrates in Savannah ecosystems. Seasonal water + sediment sampling compared to camera traps. More species detected with #eDNA. Species identity, body length, time since visit + duration all influenced detection #UKDNAWG25

3/6

Anna Wood @bangoruniversity.bsky.social using #merabarcoding to assess forest restoration. Currently waiting for data so watch this space! #UKDNAWG25

2/6

Speed talks!

First Nadia Barsoum @forestresearchuk.bsky.social talks about use of #eDNA for forest #mammals. Camera traps compared to aquatic, soil, airborne and surface #eDNA. More species detected with #eDNA, particularly surface #eDNA #UKDNAWG25

1/6

Been enjoying #UKDNAWG25, great talks and useful networking and swapping of ideas and potential collaborations. Poster 9 up on theoretical downstream transport of eDNA in rivers and the impacts of different decay rates on understanding distance to source.

Similar functional traits across methods - ecological resilience or full range of traits not captured? #Ecoacoustics detects distinct traits compared to larger mammals with other methods. #Ecoacoustics and #eDNA needed for most comprehensive trophic network #UKDNAWG25