12/12/2025
Samples are taken from our stream Mangataiore, & Maurioho today
The water is filtered to catch tiny bits of DNA
The DNA is analysed in a lab
The results show which plants, fish, insects, or microbes are present
Think of it as reading nature’s leftovers in the water.
What eDNA tells us about water quality
eDNA doesn’t measure pollution directly, but it shows biological health:
Healthy water → many different native species
Poor water quality → fewer species, or mostly tolerant ones
It can detect:
native fish and tuna
invasive species
pathogens or harmful microbes
So eDNA answers the question:
“Who is able to live here
