Our Fish MBC Survey service uses metabarcoding of the 12S gene to characterise fish species diversity from eDNA samples. This is a highly-validated and widely-used analysis that has been shown to outperform electrofishing for fish community assessment. Semi-quantitative data is obtained from this analysis (see FAQs for more info) and fish can be surveyed year-round.

Our Mammal MBC service provides data on aquatic and semi-aquatic animals and has been used to survey a wide range of species including otters, water voles, beavers, and cetaceans (whales & dolphins). It also detects many terrestrial species that visit the water or whose DNA has been washed into the water by rainfall. Research shows that eDNA metabarcoding is at least as powerful as other survey techniques for terrestrial species, providing data on both large (e.g. deer, badgers) and small (e.g. mice, shrews, voles) mammals. Mammals can be detected year-round.

Our Vertebrate MBC service targets entire vertebrate communities, including fish, amphibians, mammals and birds. The trade-off of the wider taxonomic breadth is that there are a small number of closely-related pairs of fish species that cannot be separated using this assay (e.g. pike and zander). Our team can work with you to decide which is the best assay for the needs of your project. Vertebrates can be surveyed year-round but amphibian detection may be seasonal depending on ecology and lifehistory of each species.

Bivalves can be detected year-round. Our Unionidae MBC Service targets freshwater mussels from the Unionidae family, including the endangered freshwater pearl mussel (Margaritifera margaritifera), duck mussel (Anodonta anatina), swan mussel (Anodonta cygnea), depressed mussel (Pseudanodonta complanata), and painted mussel (Unio pictorum). Our Venerida MBC service targets mussels and clams from other families. This includes the Dreissenidae species such as zebra mussels (Driessena polymorpha) and quagga mussels (Dreissena bugensis), which are invasive in the UK, as well as Sphaeridae species including pea mussels (Pisidium tenuilineatum). It also detects the invasive Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea) and several other clam species.

Detect aquatic insects such as indicator groups of water beetles and EPT taxa (Ephemeroptera, Plecoptera, Trichoptera). Overcome the common challenges of taxonomic ID for species in morphologically intractable groups like the Chironomidae.

Biotic indices can be generated from macroinvertebrate eDNA data, but note that this is not yet accepted by regulators and therefore cannot be used for WFD assessments.

We also survey aquatic invertebrates using bulk samples. Learn more on our invertebrates page.