Cost-effective methodologies that improve early detection and enable rapid eradication of aquatic invasive species before they become established and spread are needed to preserve ecosystem integrity. To address this need, we established protocols using the detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) to guide the deployment of traditional fisheries gear for loach removal. In a 2022 pilot study, we developed a quantitative PCR assay to detect eDNA from loaches, then deployed a paired sampling design to compare detections of eDNA with catch in minnow traps at the San Luis National Wildlife Refuge (Merced County, California). This repository contains code to support a manuscript describing this effort (Wiggins et al. in prep).
Native to Asia, Paramisgurnus dabryanus (Large-Scale Loach) is a popular home aquarium fish that has been introduced to North American waterways including California’s Central Valley. They were first detected in the continent in 2014 near the San Joaquin River in Madera County, California (Kirsch et al. 2017). They are opportunistic omnivores with long life spans and high fecundity that can tolerate a wide range of dissolved oxygen levels and water temperatures. As a result, they can rapidly expand their numbers and range (Kirsch et al. 2017).
No installation is necessary.
The main purpose of this repository is to share the code for a published paper. Please contact the project maintainer for information about this repository or about collaborating on future work.
Kirsch, J.E., R.F. Feeney, A. Goodbla, C. Hart, Z.J. Jackson, A. Schreier, R. Smith. 2018. The first record of the Large-scale Loach Paramisgurnus dabryanus (Cobitidae) in the United States. Journal of Fish and Wildlife Management 9: 246–254, DOI: 10.3996/012017-JFWM-008
Wiggins, J.J., V.D. Tobias, E.F. Holcombe, K. Karpenko, E. Huber, A. Goodman. in preparation. Leveraging Environmental DNA (eDNA) to Optimize Invasive Fish Eradication Efforts.