🧬 DNA Science
Traditional biodiversity surveys require trained taxonomists to identify species from physical specimens — a process that is slow, expensive, and limited by the availability of expertise. For tropical forests, where a single hectare may contain hundreds of plant species and thousands of animal species, many of them undescribed, this approach cannot keep pace with the rate at which biodiversity is being lost. DNA-based methods are fundamentally changing this situation: a single water sample, soil scoop, or air filter can now yield genetic data identifying thousands of species simultaneously — many of them invisible to conventional survey methods.
species from single eDNA water sample
faster than traditional surveys
accuracy of DNA barcoding identification
cost per sample (rapidly declining)
Every organism sheds DNA into its environment — skin cells, faeces, mucus, pollen, and other biological material that carries genetic information. Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods collect water, soil, or air samples and extract and sequence the DNA they contain — producing a genetic inventory of the species present in an ecosystem. A single water sample from a tropical stream can reveal the presence of fish, amphibians, invertebrates, and even terrestrial mammals that visit the water to drink — all without the need to observe or capture any individuals. eDNA methods are particularly powerful for detecting rare or cryptic species that are rarely encountered in traditional surveys.
DNA barcoding uses short, standardised DNA sequences — typically from a specific gene region — to identify species, much as a supermarket barcode identifies products. The Barcode of Life Data System (BOLD) has compiled reference DNA barcodes for over 350,000 species, allowing unidentified specimens — including fragments too damaged for morphological identification — to be matched against the reference library and identified. In tropical forests, DNA barcoding is particularly valuable for insects and other invertebrates, where traditional morphological identification requires extremely rare specialist expertise and the majority of species remain undescribed.
Get our latest forest conservation technology reports. No spam — just science.
✅ Thank you! You'll receive our next report in your inbox.
Dr. Nair has spent 14 years developing and deploying technology solutions for tropical forest conservation across Southeast Asia, the Amazon, and the Congo Basin. Her research bridges satellite remote sensing, AI, and community-based monitoring to make conservation technology accessible at scale.