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This section will guide you to better understand of each tech solutions dedicating to understand and monitor marine biodiversity through datas.
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Environmental DNA (eDNA) applied to marine biodiversity refers to a genetic material collected directly from the environment (seawater) rather than from the organisms themselves. As marine animals move through the ocean, they constantly shed DNA. This DNA, carried by currents, disperses in the water column.
eDNA allows scientists to detect which species are present in an area without needing to capture or observe them directly. This method is all the more relevant for monitoring the evolution of species in response to climate change.
| Advantages | Limitations |
|---|---|
| Non-invasive (no need to capture or disturb animals) | Extremely low DNA concentrations |
| Detects rare, elusive or fragile species | Interpretation complicated by DNA degradation and water movement |
| Provides a comprehensive snapshot of biodiversity | Dependent on quality and completeness of reference DNA databases |
| Can monitor entire communities and track changes over time | Quantifying abundance is challenging, especially for mixed samples |
| Enables deep and remote sampling with autonomous robots | Requires specialized lab protocols and expertise (not fully scalable) |
Robotics refers to autonomous robots and surface or underwater drones to explore, observe and collect data on marine biodiversity without direct human intervention. These robots are equipped with sensors (cameras, acoustics, water sampling, etc) and can work alone or in networks to map and monitor marine biodiversity while minimizing disturbances (espacially noise and fuel emissions).
The latest advances include AI integration for automatic species identification and differentiation between natural objects and debris, as well as the ability to collect eDNA samples at great depths.
There are two main technologies to explore our ocean.
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AUV (Autonomous Underwater Vehicle)
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ROV (Remotely Operated Vehicle)