Baseline measurement and monitoring of biodiversity
Would you like to map current biodiversity at a local level (area/site) based on a baseline measurement and then monitor its development over time? This can be done both over time or by comparing one or more reference areas.
Biodiversity and eDNA
To make the impact of governments, organizations, and companies on biodiversity transparent and measurable, SGS has developed various biodiversity studies based on environmental DNA (eDNA). eDNA is the genetic material from plants or animals released into the environment, such as (skin) cells, hair, feces, and pollen.
How does eDNA research work?
Using DNA traces left behind in water, air, or on surfaces, we determine which species are present. The method used to detect multiple species simultaneously is known as metabarcoding. In addition, eDNA can be used for targeted detection of specific species. In such cases, we use the even more precise quantitative PCR (qPCR) method.
Research questions
Governments, organizations, or companies that want to quantify the impact of their policies or operations on local biodiversity opt for this method. Possible research questions include:
- I have a goal or policy to improve a specific area and want to conduct a baseline measurement.
- I am legally required to conduct a baseline measurement, for example, for a construction or remediation project.
- I want to periodically measure whether my mowing policy or other management practices are effective.
- I want to assess whether my building's green walls/roofs, inner gardens, etc., have a positive impact on local biodiversity.
- I want to compare Area A with Area B to determine whether my policy or intervention is effective.
- I manage a solar farm and want to monitor the development of biodiversity.
Impact assessment with eDNA monitoring
Would you like to assess the potential impact of a product, process, or building on biodiversity throughout its entire lifecycle? With an impact assessment, we can quantify the total impact—from raw materials to the final product/project. This information is playing an increasingly important role in tendering, product development, and non-financial reporting.
A life cycle assessment (LCA) is often a suitable method for mapping total environmental impact. To measure and monitor biodiversity impacts, an LCA can be effectively combined with periodic eDNA analyses.
Research techniques
Depending on the desired level of insight into the overall local ecosystem, one of the following research options is selected:
InsectScan:
The InsectScan is suitable for companies, governments, and organizations that want to monitor insect biodiversity. Insects are a crucial taxonomic group and often serve as indicators of the ecological system's quality.
BioScan
With the BioScan, we support organizations that want a comprehensive understanding of a complex ecosystem and wish to monitor it periodically. Fish, amphibians, and mammals can be detected, often through water sampling. Our experts can advise on specific research questions and formulate the appropriate sampling strategy.
Microbiome research
Finally, we can perform eDNA analysis of microbiomes, i.e. small organisms (bacteria, fungi, and invertebrates). This research can be used by governments, companies, and organizations to assess soil health.
Benefits of eDNA research
With eDNA, we can measure species diversity faster, more frequently, on a larger scale, non-invasively, and—in many cases—more accurately. Key advantages include:
- Fast and reliable insight into biodiversity and/or the presence of specific species.
- Simple sampling with minimal disturbance to the ecosystem.
- Analysis and reporting based on samples from soil, sediment, vegetation, water, and air.
- Highly repeatable, enabling long-term biodiversity monitoring and measurable policy impact.
- A comprehensive eDNA database with DNA barcodes for many species, continuously kept up to date.
- A global SGS network that rapidly builds a reference database, allowing benchmarking of specific areas against comparable regions or ecosystems.
- eDNA studies are a valuable complement to theoretical biodiversity models, enabling local, real-world measurement and monitoring of ecosystems.
