THE UK’s leading natural history specialists are helping a farmer-led community collaborative explore the health of the Afon Dyfi.
Environmental-DNA (E-DNA) analysis is being used by scientists at the Natural History Museum in London to examine seasonal samples taken from 10 sites across the Dyfi Catchment as part of Adfer Dyfi projects funded by the Heritage Fund in partnership with Welsh Government.
“We already have a great deal of data gathered during years of angler and landowner observations,” says Rhys Parry, Chair of lead organisation Partneriaeth Pennal. “This new analysis, as well as our Citizen Science testing results, will help us further understand the river.”
John Parker, Secretary of New Dovey Fishery (1929) Association and a biochemist, adds: “The Adfer Dyfi collaboration will use the information as benchmark data to inform the restoration strategies. The ability to detect a wide range of species, including those often missed by traditional surveys, will also be a useful baseline tool for building resilience to climate change effects”.
PHOTO: The science labs (housed in building on right) at the Natural History Museum in London where the E-DNA tests will be analysed.
