When a platypus goes for a swim it sheds a bit of DNA. Soon scientists will be able detect the animal long after it's gone thanks to an ambitious new project.
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The $40 million national animal DNA library is being developed by the CSIRO and plans to release its first run of public data by early 2024.
CSIRO director of the National Biodiversity DNA Library, Jenny Giles, said the collection would create a revolution in biodiversity monitoring.
"People may be surprised to realise that there are tiny pieces of DNA shed by animals, plants, and other life forms left in the air, soil, and water around us," Dr Giles said.
The library aims to house a complete collection of this environmental DNA, or eDNA.
Then in future, scientists could take samples of things like water or soil, and scan it for eDNA using the library's public data.
CSIRO compares the project to how experts were monitoring for COVID-19 traces in wastewater across the country.
"That will allow Australian state and federal governments, industry, researchers and citizen scientists to take full advantage of this powerful technique to describe and detect changes in our environment," Dr Giles said.
The project is being partly bankrolled by mining magnate Andrew Forrest's philanthropic Minderoo Foundation and genetics company Illumina.
It will begin by collecting eDNA samples, focusing on all species of Australian marine vertebrates, including fish, whales, dolphins, seals, turtles, sea snakes and inshore sea and aquatic birds.
Australian Associated Press
