Data

Environmental DNA (eDNA) survey of Bathurst Harbour (Tasmania) for the endangered Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana) (NESP MaC 1.33)

University of Tasmania, Australia
Semmens, Jayson ; Moreno, David ; Ewing, Graeme ; Hinton, Davis ; Patil, Jawahar ; Berry, Oliver
Viewed: [[ro.stat.viewed]] Cited: [[ro.stat.cited]] Accessed: [[ro.stat.accessed]]
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Only four individuals have ever been reported in Bathurst Harbour, with the last known sighting occurring in 1992. This study used environmental DNA (eDNA) to determine the presence/absence of the Maugean skate in Bathurst Harbour on the southwest coast of Tasmania.Water samples were collected from the seafloor in Bathurst Harbour in November 2021 and February 2022, and in Macquarie Harbour (control samples) in December 2021. Samples were filtered using a self-preserving eDNA sampling system. Following each survey DNA from the samples was extracted and analysed through qPCR amplification. Mitochondrial primer pairs from two gene regions were used to detect the presence of Maugean skate DNA in the samples. Where possible, positive detections were sequenced, and their identity verified.Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlannedStatement: Twenty sample sites were surveyed in Bathurst Harbour, five sites in the Bathurst Channel and one site in Melaleuca Lagoon. Two sites were used as control sites in Macquarie Harbour at locations known to host Maugean skate. All Bathurst Harbour sites were sampled in both November 2021 and February 2022, and Macquarie Harbour control sites were sampled in December 2021. Two replicate water samples were collected from 1 m above the seafloor using a camera bottle. Each sample was thoroughly shaken and filtration through (5 µm filters and/or 0.45 µm filters) occurred immediately after collection to ensure no degradation of eDNA. Following each survey, DNA from the samples was extracted and analysed through qPCR amplification. Mitochondrial primer pairs from two gene regions were used to detect the presence of Maugean Skate DNA in the samples. To provide a positive control, water was sampled from a 750L tank immediately after it had hosted two Maugean skate (captured in Macquarie Harbour in December 2021). Maugean Skate DNA was successfully extracted and amplified using this tecnnique. Detection from environmental samples in Macquarie Harbour confirms that eDNA assays and the field sampling protocols employed here are a suitable tool to monitor the presence of rare and cryptic elasmobranchs in remote or challenging environments. Sufficient concentrations of Maugean skate DNA were not found anywhere in Bathurst Harbour to allow positive identification based on eDNA alone. There were multiple putative detections in the second survey, but only four of these yielded sufficient material to allow sequencing. Sequencing confirmed that these four samples were extremely low quantity Maugean Skate DNA detections. 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G., & Berry, O. (2022). Environmental DNA (eDNA) survey of Bathurst Harbour (Tasmania) for the endangered Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana) [Data set]. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. https://doi.org/10.25959/4VKC-EG42&rft_subject=biota&rft_subject=National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub&rft_subject=eDNA&rft_subject=Maugean skate&rft_subject=Bathurst Harbour&rft_subject=Macquarie Harbour&rft_subject=Zearaja maugeana&rft_subject=ANIMAL ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR&rft_subject=MARINE ECOSYSTEMS&rft_subject=BENTHIC&rft_subject=SHARKS/RAYS/CHIMAERAS&rft_subject=ENDANGERED SPECIES&rft_subject=Wildlife and Habitat Management&rft_subject=ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES&rft_subject=ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND MANAGEMENT&rft_subject=Marine and Estuarine Ecology (incl. Marine Ichthyology)&rft_subject=BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES&rft_subject=ECOLOGY&rft.type=dataset&rft.language=English Access the data
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This dataset is hosted by the Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies (IMAS), University of Tasmania, on behalf of NESP Marine and Coastal Hub Project 1.33.

Cite data as: Semmens, J., Moreno, D., Ewing, G., Hinton, D., Patil, J. G., & Berry, O. (2022). Environmental DNA (eDNA) survey of Bathurst Harbour (Tasmania) for the endangered Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana) [Data set]. Institute for Marine and Antarctic Studies. https://doi.org/10.25959/4VKC-EG42

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Full description

The Maugean Skate Zearaja maugeana is a micro-endemic species known from only two isolated estuaries, Bathurst and Macquarie Harbours in southwestern/western Tasmania. This constitutes one of the most limited distributions of any known extant elasmobranch. As a result, the species is listed as ‘Endangered’ under the Threatened Species Protection Act (Tasmania) and the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (Commonwealth).

Even though it was first discovered in Bathurst Harbour, most of what is known about the species comes from the Macquarie Harbour population. Only four individuals have ever been reported in Bathurst Harbour, with the last known sighting occurring in 1992.

This study used environmental DNA (eDNA) to determine the presence/absence of the Maugean skate in Bathurst Harbour on the southwest coast of Tasmania.

Water samples were collected from the seafloor in Bathurst Harbour in November 2021 and February 2022, and in Macquarie Harbour (control samples) in December 2021. Samples were filtered using a self-preserving eDNA sampling system. Following each survey DNA from the samples was extracted and analysed through qPCR amplification. Mitochondrial primer pairs from two gene regions were used to detect the presence of Maugean skate DNA in the samples. Where possible, positive detections were sequenced, and their identity verified.

Lineage

Maintenance and Update Frequency: notPlanned
Statement: Twenty sample sites were surveyed in Bathurst Harbour, five sites in the Bathurst Channel and one site in Melaleuca Lagoon. Two sites were used as control sites in Macquarie Harbour at locations known to host Maugean skate. All Bathurst Harbour sites were sampled in both November 2021 and February 2022, and Macquarie Harbour control sites were sampled in December 2021. Two replicate water samples were collected from 1 m above the seafloor using a camera bottle. Each sample was thoroughly shaken and filtration through (5 µm filters and/or 0.45 µm filters) occurred immediately after collection to ensure no degradation of eDNA. Following each survey, DNA from the samples was extracted and analysed through qPCR amplification. Mitochondrial primer pairs from two gene regions were used to detect the presence of Maugean Skate DNA in the samples. To provide a positive control, water was sampled from a 750L tank immediately after it had hosted two Maugean skate (captured in Macquarie Harbour in December 2021). Maugean Skate DNA was successfully extracted and amplified using this tecnnique. Detection from environmental samples in Macquarie Harbour confirms that eDNA assays and the field sampling protocols employed here are a suitable tool to monitor the presence of rare and cryptic elasmobranchs in remote or challenging environments. Sufficient concentrations of Maugean skate DNA were not found anywhere in Bathurst Harbour to allow positive identification based on eDNA alone. There were multiple putative detections in the second survey, but only four of these yielded sufficient material to allow sequencing. Sequencing confirmed that these four samples were extremely low quantity Maugean Skate DNA detections. The total number of DNA copies per qPCR reaction in the Bathurst Harbour samples (4-6) was two orders of magnitude lower than concentrations in environmental samples from Table Head in Macquarie Harbour (approximately 2,000 copies of DNA per reaction).

Notes

Credit
The data collections described in this record are funded by the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) through the NESP Marine and Coastal Hub. In addition to NESP (DCCEEW) funding, this project is matched by an equivalent amount of in-kind support and co-investment from project partners and collaborators.

Data time period: 2021-11-03 to 2022-02-09

This dataset is part of a larger collection

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Subjects
ANIMAL ECOLOGY AND BEHAVIOR | BENTHIC | Biological Sciences | Bathurst Harbour | Ecology | ENDANGERED SPECIES | Environmental Science and Management | Environmental Sciences | MARINE ECOSYSTEMS | Macquarie Harbour | Marine and Estuarine Ecology (Incl. Marine Ichthyology) | Maugean skate | National Environmental Science Program (NESP) Marine and Coastal Hub | SHARKS/RAYS/CHIMAERAS | Wildlife and Habitat Management | Zearaja maugeana | biota | eDNA |

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Other Information
(DATA ACCESS - Maugean skate eDNA qPCR summary results [direct download])

url : https://data.imas.utas.edu.au/attachments/0fe29a80-b529-4230-8878-fe088d799ee1/NESP_Maugean_skate_eDNA_qPCR_summary_Final.xlsx

(Final report [PDF])

url : https://www.nespmarinecoastal.edu.au/project-1-33-final-report-2/

(Project website)

url : https://www.nespmarinecoastal.edu.au/project-1-33

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local : 0000-0001-7545-5083

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local : 0000-0003-1742-6692

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NESP MaC Project 1.33 - Application of environmental DNA to survey Bathurst Harbour Tasmania for the endangered Maugean skate, 2021-2022 (IMAS)

doi : 10.71676/703d5c2c

Identifiers
ACN 633 798 857