DNA sequencing of seawater tells us about abundance

Fish leave behind telltale DNA fragments that can be sequenced directly out of seawater.

DNA secrets to life in the deep
[Via BBC News – Science & Environment]

Sampling DNA from seawater may be one way to check up on ocean life, according to research.

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And it appears that the relative amount of DNA found in an aea for a specific species closely matches actual abundance of the fish.

So we can get an idea of the abundance of a aquatic species simply by sequencing seawater.

Nice.

Image: NOAA Photo Library