Development of eDNA Protocols for Detection of Endangered White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) in the Wild

Understanding the distribution and habitat use of endangered species is essential for conservation efforts. Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis has become a more common approach to defining species habitat occupancy through identification of residual DNA in water samples and has potential to detect populations that are in low abundance or use habitats over a large geographical range. Here, we optimized an eDNA protocol to detect the presence of the endangered white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus). We implemented lab-based experiments to understand the sensitivity and persistence of white sturgeon eDNA and then applied these methods to habitats with known white sturgeon abundances categorized as high, low, or not present. Using quantitative PCR (qPCR) and a modified StrAci1N-flap primer set, white sturgeon eDNA was detected in water collected from tanks holding white sturgeon down to a dilution of 10,000× (estimated eDNA concentration of 0.00035 μg/L—0.00176 μg/L). Following the removal of white sturgeon from the tanks, the eDNA signal decreased with time but could be detected for up to 7 days. In the field, all sites with high abundances of white sturgeon returned positive eDNA detections. We did not detect white sturgeon eDNA at sites with low abundance or in areas where they were not expected to be present. Results from this work further advance our interpretation of eDNA from wild populations and provide a noninvasive method to advance recovery efforts by identifying species presence in areas of suspected use or to guide additional inventory efforts.