Environmental DNA Detects Endangered Texas Hornshell and Its Hosts
ABSTRACT Environmental DNA techniques are continuously demonstrating their efficiencies over traditional survey methods for detecting rare species. Unionids have a need for focused conservation efforts as they represent some of the most imperiled aquatic species in North America. Freshwater mussels...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2025-07-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71397 |
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| author | Daniel H. Mason Heidi A. Henderson Thomas W. Franklin Michael K. Young Jennifer E. Hernandez Cory L. Engkjer Joanna Hatt Michael K. Schwartz |
| author_facet | Daniel H. Mason Heidi A. Henderson Thomas W. Franklin Michael K. Young Jennifer E. Hernandez Cory L. Engkjer Joanna Hatt Michael K. Schwartz |
| author_sort | Daniel H. Mason |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Environmental DNA techniques are continuously demonstrating their efficiencies over traditional survey methods for detecting rare species. Unionids have a need for focused conservation efforts as they represent some of the most imperiled aquatic species in North America. Freshwater mussels are notoriously difficult to detect using traditional sampling techniques due to their cryptic morphological features, benthic habitat use, and low densities. Further, the persistence of freshwater mussel populations requires that viable fish host species be present during spawning. Therefore, improved conservation tools are needed to detect and monitor both the imperiled unionids as well as their associated fish host species. Here, we developed novel quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays for the detection of the endangered Texas hornshell (Popenaias popeii) and two of its' host species, the gray redhorse (Moxostoma congestum) and blue sucker (Cycleptus elongatus), which are also species of greatest conservation need in New Mexico. All qPCR assays were highly sensitive, species‐specific, and ultimately validated using eDNA samples collected from streams. These assays offer new tools for managers to detect, monitor, and conserve these imperiled species using environmental DNA. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-757a7b15e9044d92956e6e5ab64c3d29 |
| institution | Matheson Library |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-757a7b15e9044d92956e6e5ab64c3d292025-07-29T05:23:10ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-07-01157n/an/a10.1002/ece3.71397Environmental DNA Detects Endangered Texas Hornshell and Its HostsDaniel H. Mason0Heidi A. Henderson1Thomas W. Franklin2Michael K. Young3Jennifer E. Hernandez4Cory L. Engkjer5Joanna Hatt6Michael K. Schwartz7National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station Missoula Montana USANational Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station Missoula Montana USANational Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station Missoula Montana USANational Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station Missoula Montana USANational Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station Missoula Montana USANational Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station Missoula Montana USANew Mexico Department of Game and Fish Santa Fe New Mexico USANational Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation USFS Rocky Mountain Research Station Missoula Montana USAABSTRACT Environmental DNA techniques are continuously demonstrating their efficiencies over traditional survey methods for detecting rare species. Unionids have a need for focused conservation efforts as they represent some of the most imperiled aquatic species in North America. Freshwater mussels are notoriously difficult to detect using traditional sampling techniques due to their cryptic morphological features, benthic habitat use, and low densities. Further, the persistence of freshwater mussel populations requires that viable fish host species be present during spawning. Therefore, improved conservation tools are needed to detect and monitor both the imperiled unionids as well as their associated fish host species. Here, we developed novel quantitative PCR (qPCR) assays for the detection of the endangered Texas hornshell (Popenaias popeii) and two of its' host species, the gray redhorse (Moxostoma congestum) and blue sucker (Cycleptus elongatus), which are also species of greatest conservation need in New Mexico. All qPCR assays were highly sensitive, species‐specific, and ultimately validated using eDNA samples collected from streams. These assays offer new tools for managers to detect, monitor, and conserve these imperiled species using environmental DNA.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71397blue suckerfreshwater musselgray redhorsequantitative PCRRio Grande |
| spellingShingle | Daniel H. Mason Heidi A. Henderson Thomas W. Franklin Michael K. Young Jennifer E. Hernandez Cory L. Engkjer Joanna Hatt Michael K. Schwartz Environmental DNA Detects Endangered Texas Hornshell and Its Hosts Ecology and Evolution blue sucker freshwater mussel gray redhorse quantitative PCR Rio Grande |
| title | Environmental DNA Detects Endangered Texas Hornshell and Its Hosts |
| title_full | Environmental DNA Detects Endangered Texas Hornshell and Its Hosts |
| title_fullStr | Environmental DNA Detects Endangered Texas Hornshell and Its Hosts |
| title_full_unstemmed | Environmental DNA Detects Endangered Texas Hornshell and Its Hosts |
| title_short | Environmental DNA Detects Endangered Texas Hornshell and Its Hosts |
| title_sort | environmental dna detects endangered texas hornshell and its hosts |
| topic | blue sucker freshwater mussel gray redhorse quantitative PCR Rio Grande |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.71397 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT danielhmason environmentaldnadetectsendangeredtexashornshellanditshosts AT heidiahenderson environmentaldnadetectsendangeredtexashornshellanditshosts AT thomaswfranklin environmentaldnadetectsendangeredtexashornshellanditshosts AT michaelkyoung environmentaldnadetectsendangeredtexashornshellanditshosts AT jenniferehernandez environmentaldnadetectsendangeredtexashornshellanditshosts AT corylengkjer environmentaldnadetectsendangeredtexashornshellanditshosts AT joannahatt environmentaldnadetectsendangeredtexashornshellanditshosts AT michaelkschwartz environmentaldnadetectsendangeredtexashornshellanditshosts |