NatureScot Research Report 984 - Assessing lamprey populations in Scottish rivers using eDNA - proof of concept
Five Scottish rivers are designated as Special Areas of Conservation for one or more of three lamprey species (brook lamprey Lampetra planeri, river lamprey L. fluviatilis, and sea lamprey Petromyzon marinus). The distribution, density, and age structure of lamprey populations are assessed every six years in accordance with the requirements of the Habitats Directive. The focus of assessments is the larval phase. To date, surveys have used conventional handheld electrofishing apparatus to catch the larvae of all three species. However, this approach is time consuming, costly, and sometimes yields low quality data. Additionally, it is not possible to differentiate between the larvae of brook and river lamprey using their physical characteristics and assessments of their populations rely on genus level data. Environmental DNA (eDNA) based surveys could provide a cost-effective and more accurate form of distribution data collection. This report is the result of an investigation of the possibilities.
Pages: 27
Published: 2018
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