Developing a robust technique to detect populations of endangered native white-clawed crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes, invasive signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus and crayfish plague Aphanomyces astaci in lotic systems using innovative eDNA approaches (NECR284)

DNA based applications have the potential to significantly change how we monitor and assess biodiversity. These techniques may provide cheaper alternatives to existing species monitoring or an ability to detect species that we cannot currently detect reliably.

Natural England has been supporting the development of DNA techniques for a number of years and has funded exploratory projects looking at different taxonomic groups in a range of different ecosystems and habitats.

This report presents the development of a technique using eDNA from water samples to detect populations of crayfish and crayfish plague in the River Dove. It compares the findings with records from traditional monitoring.