> We successfully captured nuclear eDNA, verified by microsatellite genotyping, from 87.5% (21/24) of wild polar bear snow track samples, 59.1% (26/44) of wild Eurasian lynx snow track samples, and the single snow leopard sampled
Samples of snow tracks taken were not large, mostly <500ml up to just over 2100ml.
Snow is probably an ideal medium to store eDNA, and clear tracks would indicate freshness.
From reading the paper they were trying to show that collecting eDNA from snow tracks can work, rather than that classification of unknown random individuals can work from just sampling tracks.
> Snow tracks from one snow leopard were collected from Nordens Ark, Sweden in 2021 using fresh snow brought in from a nearby forest. Nasal mucus was collected from the same individual as a positive control.
The cat must have been quite confused as to why they dumped a bunch of snow in its pen!
> We successfully captured nuclear eDNA, verified by microsatellite genotyping, from 87.5% (21/24) of wild polar bear snow track samples, 59.1% (26/44) of wild Eurasian lynx snow track samples, and the single snow leopard sampled
Samples of snow tracks taken were not large, mostly <500ml up to just over 2100ml.
Snow is probably an ideal medium to store eDNA, and clear tracks would indicate freshness.
From reading the paper they were trying to show that collecting eDNA from snow tracks can work, rather than that classification of unknown random individuals can work from just sampling tracks.
> Snow tracks from one snow leopard were collected from Nordens Ark, Sweden in 2021 using fresh snow brought in from a nearby forest. Nasal mucus was collected from the same individual as a positive control.
The cat must have been quite confused as to why they dumped a bunch of snow in its pen!