More than 500 companies
in 104 countries
trust NatureMetrics

sea turtle in hexagon
"Our innovative partnership with NatureMetrics is more than just a strategic alliance. It's a commitment to harnessing advanced eDNA technologies and global collaboration to drive our sustainability and conservation efforts. It's about utilising our resources wisely and optimising processes to make the best possible decisions for our planet's future."
Linden Coppell of MSC cruises profile image in black and white

Linden Coppell

VP of Sustainability and ESG, MSC Cruises

We exceeded our goals, detecting hundreds of additional vertebrate species. Without eDNA and NatureMetrics, we would have been relegated to visual surveys, requiring more field time, and to opportunistic interviews for the other five target species, which are less reliable, auditable, and systematic. The hundreds of other species detections would not have been possible at all.

WWF

eDNA has got huge applicability. If we think about early on in the discovery and exploration phase,where our knowledge is limited about the potential biodiversity risk in the area that we might be looking to explore, it’s a critical component to that.

Anglo American

Traditional ecology often captures insufficient data. In contrast, eDNA has facilitated a much better understanding, especially in the case of large deep rivers, allowing for a more comprehensive grasp of the impacts on ecological communities. As a result, appropriate mitigation measures can be implemented.

SMEC

eDNA provides wider ecological datasets that provide us with a tool not only to mitigate any potential impacts from developments but also to evidence the positive ecological impacts that can arise from offshore wind farms in a way we have not been able to do before due to traditional survey method constraints.

Natural Power

EDF Renewables are proud to be a part of this pioneering environmental DNA (eDNA) study with our partners Natural Power and NatureMetrics.

EDF Renewables

Scalable ground-truthed data, powered by eDNA

eDNA compliments and outperforms traditional biodiversity monitoring.

What is eDNA

All living things leave traces of their DNA in the environment (eDNA). We use this to identify individual species from small samples of soil, sediment, water and air.

eDNA provides an unrivalled picture of a site’s biodiversity. It provides the most comprehensive view available of the full spectrum of life, no matter how hard-to-detect.

Benefits of eDNA

eDNA has transformed biodiversity monitoring. The most accurate and scalable solution for site-level biodiversity insights.

leopard looking at camera

Find hard to detect species

Discover rare, elusive and cryptic species - even if you can’t see them.

animals in the savannah in the sun

Collect more data with fewer samples

Identify hundreds of species from a simple sample. (And take a sample in just 10 minutes).

red ants walking along a branch

Increase accuracy and consistency

Overcome errors associated with visual identification and generate repeatable results.

Improve health and safety

Reduce health and safety concerns by minimising the time staff spend in the field.

Multi-Species

Test for groups of species

Looking to identify multiple species at once? We offer the most comprehensive range of multi-species tests on the market. Browse from our extensive list below.

Vertebrates

The ideal cost-effective solution for surveying fish, mammals, amphibians, and other vertebrate species. Terrestrial mammal eDNA can often end up in nearby water courses, so this test can have the added benefit of delivering detections for some terrestrial vertebrates.

beaver in river looking to camera
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Marine water invertebrates

A simple method for attaining assessments of marine invertebrates within water. Gather valuable data on invertebrate communities and species diversity. Groups typically detected using this eDNA test include crustaceans, tunicates, jellyfish, cnidarians, annelids, molluscs, echinoderms, and sponges.

several Botrylloides
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Fish (excl. sharks & rays)

A non-invasive, in-depth eDNA test for characterising fish species diversity, and identifying fish species, in marine and freshwater environments.

fish swimming in the sea
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Marine sediment eukaryotes

Our eDNA test for marine sediment eukaryotes offers a broad look at diversity in the marine environment by providing data on microalgae, macroalgae, protists, ciliates, dinoflagellates, diatoms, anneliOur eDNA test for marine sediment eukaryotes offers a broad look at diversity in the marine environment by providing data on microalgae, macroalgae, protists, ciliates, dinoflagellates, diatoms, annelids, molluscs, crustaceans, tunicates, and some cnidarians and sponges.

Choanozoa
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Mammals

Survey mammals in aquatic environments with this simple and easy biodiversity monitoring tool. Detect species such as water voles, beavers, whales, and dolphins. This eDNA test has the added benefit of detecting some terrestrial mammals if surveying near land.

three dolphins swimming
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Marine water eukaryotes

Testing for marine water eukaryotes, using eDNA, offers a broad look at diversity in the marine environment by providing data on microalgae, protists, ciliates dinoflagellates, diatoms, annelids, molluscs, crustaceans, tunicates, and some jellyfish, cnidarians and sponges.

mushroom in amongsta green leaves
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Invertebrates (from tissue samples)

Send communities of invertebrates, collected using conventional survey methods, to us for DNA sequencing. Species can be identified quickly and accurately using a single analysis.

frog half in the water looking to camera
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Marine sediment bacteria

Identify bacteria and characterise the bacterial community within marine sediment, using advanced eDNA analysis, to improve your understanding of diversity and how it may change in response to impacts and management.

Soil Fertility close up
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Soil invertebrates

Improve your understanding of below-ground diversity, using this eDNA test to gather data on invertebrate communities within the soil, such as nematodes, platyhelminths, annelid worms, and some arthropods.

centipede crawling in forest
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Aquatic Bacteria

Dive into the hidden world of aquatic bacteria with our advanced eDNA test. Uncover a comprehensive analysis of bacterial diversity in both freshwater and marine habitats, revealing invaluable insights to revolutionize your understanding of aquatic ecosystems.

Tannerella Forsythia close up
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Marine sediment invertebrates

Gather valuable data on marine invertebrate communities that live within the sediment. Groups typically detected using this eDNA test include annelids, molluscs, crustaceans, tunicates, and sometimes jellyfish, cnidarians, echinoderms, and sponges.

orange natural sponge under the sea
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Soil Bacteria

Improve your understanding of below-ground diversity, and how it may change in response to impacts and management, by using our cutting-edge biodiversity testing methods to accurately characterise the soil bacterial community.

close up of soil looking across the horizon
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Freshwater Unionid Mussels

Determine which mussel species are present in a waterbody using this simple and non-invasive eDNA test. Unionid mussels are considered one of the most endangered animal groups due to their susceptibility to pollution, water quality, and habitat disturbance. Identify presence of endangered and vulnerable mussel species; including freshwater pearl mussels and the depressed river mussel.

shells in water
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Soil Fungi

Improve your understanding of below-ground diversity, and how it may change in response to impacts and management, by utilising our biodiversity testing and analysis tools to characterise the soil fungal community.

fungi growing from leafy forest floor
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Freshwater Bivalves (excl. Unionid Mussels)

Assess mussel diversity using this simple and non-invasive test for freshwater bivalves. This eDNA analysis typically picks up bivalves in the family Veneridae, also known as Venus clams. Identify presence of invasive mussel species, such as zebra mussels, quagga mussels, and Asian clams.

zera mussel sat on the beach
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Soil Microbiome

Achieve combined insights from both bacterial and fungal communities. This test can be used to survey below-ground diversity in more detail than by monitoring bacteria or fungi alone.

moss covered forest floor
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speech marks
Incorporating eDNA data collection into our long-term monitoring programs is proving invaluable to quickly reveal changes in the environment, enabling the implementation of adaptive management measures.
Video Surveys
7 hours per site
8 species per visit
Video Surveys
4
Species
detected
51
Species
detected
eDNA
21
Species
detected
eDNA Surveys
25 minutes per site
1.25 minutes per species
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Single-Species

Test for the presence of a single species

Looking to reliably detect specific species? Browse the list below.

Fish (from swab)

Sequence the barcode of any fish using DNA captured on a simple swab. This harmless test allows for species identification of individual fish, and generation of a reference DNA sequence for building up local reference databases.

fish swimming in the sea
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Atlantic Herring (Clupea harengus)

Confirm Atlantic herring presence in marine waters using this species-specific test. Herring is an economically and historically important fish, whose populations have been decimated as a result of over-exploitation.

school of fish under blue water
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Amphibians (from swab

Sequence the barcode of any amphibian using DNA captured on a simple swab. This harmless test allows for species identification of individual amphibians, and generation of a reference DNA sequence for building up local reference databases.

American bullfrog sat on a rock
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Arctic Char (Salvelinus alpinus)

This is one of the rarest fish species in Great Britain and Ireland, largely found in deep, cold, glacial lakes, and is vulnerable to climate change and eutrophication. Confirm presence of Arctic char using this highly sensitive eDNA test.

three Dolly Varden trout under water
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Great crested newt (for UK licensing)

Use eDNA for your great crested newt surveys with this simple, quick, and non-invasive test. You can be confident knowing we follow Natural England’s approved protocol (WC1067), ensuring our tests meet regulatory requirements for this protected species. Learn more here.

great crested newt
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Burbot (Lota lota)

Monitor restorative efforts and reintroductions by documenting burbot presence with this test. eDNA analysis helps to detect the presence of burbot, despite their cryptic behaviour, making this a powerful monitoring tool.

Burbot Fish
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Great crested newt (not for UK licensing)

Target great crested newts in non-regulatory contexts directly from our standard water filter kits using this test. This analysis extends the window in which you can conduct your surveys if results are not needed as part of regulatory requirements.

great crested newt
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Butternut (Juglans cinerea)

Distinguish the endangered and protected butternut tree from an unprotected hybrid by sending us a leaf, twig, or bud sample to analyse. This test is compliant with the Ontario Endangered Species Act (ESA 2007, S.O. 2007, c. 6), which affords protection to this species that would otherwise be difficult to distinguish from other walnut trees using non-genetic methods.

Pterocarya stenoptera
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European eel (Anguilla anguilla)

Detect presence of critically endangered European eels using this highly sensitive test. This species has declined by ~95% in the last 40 years across Europe. It is a UK Post-2010 Biodiversity Framework species threatened by habitat loss and degradation, artificial barriers, reductions in water quality, overfishing, disease and climate change.

European eel poking out from a rock
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Redside dace (Clinostomus elongatus)

Monitor redside dace with this highly sensitive, species-specific, eDNA test. Redside dace is an endangered fish species in Canada and is afforded the highest level of legal protection. In Ontario, detection of redside dace affords that legislative protections are maintained for a further 20 years.

Redside dace underwater
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Signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus)

Signal crayfish outcompete native species, carry the lethal crayfish plague, and cause bank erosion in some instances. Detect presence of the highly invasive signal crayfish using this sensitive, simple, and cost-effective test.

Common yabby out of water
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Silver shiner (Notropis photogenis)

Detect presence of silver shiners, a protected species in Canada, using this simple, cost-effective, and non-invasive eDNA test.

silver shiner fish
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White-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes)

Detect present of white-clawed crayfish, which are threatened and protected in the UK, using this highly sensitive test.

Crayfish under water
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Lake Sturgeon (Acipenser fulvescens)

Lake sturgeon are a legally protected fish species in Canada and the United States and are routinely monitored for restoration purposes. Use our highly sensitive eDNA test as part of your biodiversity survey, to detect their presence without disturbing or harming individuals.

kaluga fish swimming mongst underwater scene
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Zebra mussel (Dreissena polymorpha)

This species is recognized as one of the worst invasive species worldwide, impacting food webs and biogeochemistry. Detect presence of highly invasive zebra mussels using this species-specific test.

shells in water
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Blanding's turtle (Emydoidea blandingii)

Blanding’s turtles are endangered and afforded full legal protection in Canada. This highly sensitive eDNA analysis can detect the presence of individuals belonging to either of its major lineages (St. Lawrence and Nova Scotia populations), and across all seasons, including winter hibernation.

Blanding's turtle walking amongst leafy water
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Dreissenid mussels (genus level)

Detect presence of invasive Dreissenid mussels in a waterbody. Dreissenidae is a genus including zebra mussels and quagga mussels. Combine with the species-specific test for zebra mussels to gain further insights.

clam shell closed
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Brook trout (Salvelinus fontinalis)

Detect presence of brook trout, using this highly sensitive eDNA test, to inform management decisions. Brook trout is a species of primary management interest due not only to its position as a highly invasive competitor of native charr species in North America, but also because of its value as an indicator species for climate change.

large fish swimming under water
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Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis)

Spot breakouts of the Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis strain of chytrid fungus, an infectious disease responsible for causing declines in amphibian populations worldwide.

Australian lace-lid
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Brown trout (Salmo trutta)

Use this sensitive eDNA test to track brown trout establishment and range expansion, or for determining stocked population uptake for fishery maintenance. Results can inform on the impact of non-native recreational sport fishes.

fish swims under golden water
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Chytrid fungus (Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans)

Spot breakouts of the Batrachochytrium salamandrivorans strain of chytrid fungus, an infectious disease responsible for causing declines in amphibian populations worldwide.

Waterfall frog
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Rainbow trout (Onchorynchus mykiss)

Use this test to detect presence of rainbow trout for a variety of management purposes including managing endangered fish populations, determining stocked population uptake for fishery maintenance, and monitoring range expansions of invasive populations.

fish swimming under the water
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Chinese mitten crab (Eriocheir sinensis)

Use this test to detect Chinese mitten crabs, which are listed as one of the world’s 100 worst invasive species due to the economic and ecological damage they inflict. The highly sensitive nature of this analysis makes it perfect for detecting populations and range expansions.

Chinese mitten crab sat on a rock
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Round whitefish (Prosopium cylindraceaum)

Detect presence of round whitefish, which are a useful indicator species of habitat disturbance, using this species-specific test. eDNA testing can be a useful tool for determining spawning success in spawning areas adjacent to power stations, to ensure environmental compliance of generators.

under the sea with rays of sunlight ddevoid of life
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Crayfish plague (Aphanomyces astaci)

Spot breakouts of the highly infectious fungal disease, crayfish plague, using this sensitive test

Crayfish on rocks under water
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“[eDNA monitoring has] got huge applicability. If we think about early on in the discovery and exploration phase, where our knowledge is limited about the potential biodiversity risk in the area that we might be looking to explore, it’s a critical component to that.

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