Researchers have developed a drone-based system to collect environmental DNA from the treetops, shedding light on the mysterious organisms living in the rainforest canopy.
Releasing the Biodiversity of the Canopy
The rainforest canopy is a concealed world, alive and bustling with life that no one can see with the naked eye. Their imprints, in the leaves and twigs of trees, are left by a multitude of small creatures, from insects to tiny mammals — all which produce environmental DNA (eDNA).
Building the first airborne rig to capture this genetic material has now allowed researchers to take a peek into some of the millions of species that live in one of world’s most ignored ecosystems – the trees and their canopies. The researchers flew the drone over the canopy and propelled a flexible cotton thread gently into the leaves and branches, at 10 locations in rainforest in Southeast Asia to collect eDNA samples.
Back at home base, the scientists removed eDNA from the mesh collection probe and took it to a lab where they could show that eDNA on the cloth included a rich mix of species not only on bushmeat but also spiders, insects, monkeys, ants, termites and gall midges. This is an amazing discovery of hidden lives in the canopy that are typically overlooked by conservation and restoration.
Drones: The Canopy’s Next Adventurers
Scaling rainforest canopy, however, is no candlelit picnic. The thick canopy and high trees make it difficult for scientists to study the wildlife that thrives above. Drones are one of the things that are turning the situation around.
Drones outfitted with special sampling equipment allow researchers to venture into the canopy from above, without ever touching ground. Because the drone can travel beyond line of sight and weave its way through the dense network of branches and leaves; places that aren’t safe or possible for humans to reach.
Researchers have generated a drone system which includes a fabric probe that is tether-controlled and able to gently sweep the leaves and branches, collecting eDNA samples. An added bonus to this approach is that it keeps the drone itself clear of vegetation, thereby reducing the risk of harm to both the robot and plants.
The study provides a proof of concept and possible future applications for the use of drones to explore even deeper levels of the rainforest canopy. As this technology continues to be further developed and refined, we will undoubtedly learn more about the rich flora and fauna that lives in the forest canopy — data that is vital for conservation and restoration efforts.
Conclusion
This eDNA sampling system by drones is a great advancement in rainforest biodiversity research. Now that scientists have access to the elusive canopy, they are discovering more about the small life-forms living in this secret world. Understanding this is vital as these special ecosystems will need to be protected and managed so that the biodiversity of life in the canopy can remain intact into the future.
