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DNA Barcodes for Assessment of the Biological Integrity of
Aquatic Ecosystems
Mark Bagley, United States Environmental Protection Agency
Charles Spooner, US EPA
Ronald Klauda Maryland Dept of Natural Resources
David Schindel, Consortium for the Barcode of Life
Lee Weigt, Smithsonian Institution
Robert Hanner, University of Guelph
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Bioassessment
An evaluation of the
biological condition of a
waterbody using biological
surveys and other direct
measurements of the resident living organisms
Chemical
Integrity
Biological
Integrity
Physical
Integrity
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US Wadeable Streams Assessment•National assessment of the condition of wadeable streams•10 different taxonomic ID laboratories•749 stream macroinvertebrate samples (sites)•All organisms identified to genus only•10% random re-identification by independent taxonomist•Data quality objective – 85% repeatability
Credible environmental decision-making depends on objectivity and repeatability of taxonomic results
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EPA Advanced Monitoring Initiative
Project Goals• Develop a DNA barcode library for important aquatic
indicator species (EPT)• Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)• Plecoptera (Stoneflies)• Trichoptera (Caddisflies)
• Compare DNA barcodes to traditional bioassessments for EPT taxa
• Cost, Speed, Objectivity, Accuracy, Precision• How important is increased taxonomic precision?
• Determine how to efficiently incorporate DNA barcodes into a state bioassessment program
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Repeatability and barcode development
Morphology
MarylandDNR
EPA Lab
Guelph
Smithsonian
EPA
DNA
ReferenceBarcodeDatabase
Taxon Experts
RepeatabilityPrecisionCost
RepeatabilityAccuracyPrecisionCost
(taxonomic agreement)
(disagreementor MOTU)
SpeciesDescription
(Adult Voucherspecimens)
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Tech Transfer is a Major Project Goal• End users are participants in the project
Maryland DNR, EPA-Water
• Tech transfer documents, hands-on workshops, and protocols are key products
• Chose influential end-users that will “convert” others