{"id":28741,"date":"2025-12-02T09:54:43","date_gmt":"2025-12-02T14:54:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/uci\/?p=28741"},"modified":"2025-12-02T10:03:15","modified_gmt":"2025-12-02T15:03:15","slug":"community-scientists-set-the-barcode-for-future-fish-surveys-in-monmouth-county-waters","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/uci\/2025\/12\/02\/community-scientists-set-the-barcode-for-future-fish-surveys-in-monmouth-county-waters\/","title":{"rendered":"Community Scientists Set the Bar(code) for Future Fish Surveys in Monmouth County Waters"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

The swirling gene pool that is Monmouth County\u2019s ocean and estuarine waters was home to at least 68 species of fish this fall. That was one of the findings of an analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA) extracted from water samples taken at local beaches, bays and tidal rivers by community scientists partnering with the Monmouth University Urban Coast Institute (UCI).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Endowed Professor of Marine Science Jason Adolf shares findings from the eDNA analysis.<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

Beginning in September, Monmouth researchers provided equipment and instruction to the volunteers to collect and return the samples, which were lab analyzed for eDNA \u2013 trace genetic materials floating in the water can indicate the presence of marine life. On Nov. 20, the volunteers gathered on campus for a meeting to learn about the study method and what their jars of water contained.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Endowed Professor of Marine Science Jason Adolf explained that the eDNA shed into the water by marine organisms carries signatures, called metabarcodes, that can indicate what species it\u2019s from. Since these materials tend to break down in the water in about a day, a detection indicates that it was likely in the area over the last few hours, if not at that moment.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIt\u2019s like barcoding at the supermarket, where instead of the person having to find the price tag for each item, you just scan it and the computer knows what it is,\u201d Adolf said. \u201cWe have a database for all of the barcode sequences of fish, marine mammals, turtles and humans, and when we detect it in the natural sample, we can tell that a fish was there, and to some extent, how many of the fish were there.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The volunteers collected samples at 22 stations from the Manasquan Inlet to the Raritan Bay. The following are some of the results:<\/p>\n\n\n\n