Lead institution:
McGill University – Canada
Molecular observational technologies have the capacity to transform how we observe biodiversity, allowing us to track biotic responses to ocean change and inform management practice.
In order to develop the capacity for a molecular monitoring network to track, understand, and predict biodiversity changes, we have launched the Pacific eDNA Coastal Observatory (PECO, 2021-2030).
Our growing network spans a latitudinal cross-section of 26 degrees latitude (Alaska to Southern California), in a cross-national region of high economic and social interest in marine resource management. Our partners simultaneously collect environmental DNA alongside visual surveys, with centralized metabarcoding.
Our project will develop efficient tools, platforms and networks to enable the use of environmental DNA for broad-scale biogeographic assessment, build capacity to track biodiversity changes in time, and connect users with updatable predictive tools on biodiversity changes throughout the Ocean Decade.
This Project is hosted by the Ocean Decade Programme Ocean Biomolecular Observing Network (OBON)
Start date: 01/06/2021
End date: 10/12/2029
Lead Contact: Jennifer Sunday (jennifer.sunday@mcgill.ca)