1

DNA Barcodes for Assessment of the Biological Integrity of

Aquatic Ecosystems

Mark Bagley, United States Environmental Protection Agency

Charles Spooner, US EPA

Ronald Klauda Maryland Dept of Natural Resources

David Schindel, Consortium for the Barcode of Life

Lee Weigt, Smithsonian Institution

Robert Hanner, University of Guelph

2

Bioassessment

An evaluation of the

biological condition of a

waterbody using biological

surveys and other direct

measurements of the resident living organisms

Chemical

Integrity

Biological

Integrity

Physical

Integrity

3

US Wadeable Streams Assessment•National assessment of the condition of wadeable streams•10 different taxonomic ID laboratories•749 stream macroinvertebrate samples (sites)•All organisms identified to genus only•10% random re-identification by independent taxonomist•Data quality objective – 85% repeatability

Credible environmental decision-making depends on objectivity and repeatability of taxonomic results

4

EPA Advanced Monitoring Initiative

Project Goals• Develop a DNA barcode library for important aquatic

indicator species (EPT)• Ephemeroptera (Mayflies)• Plecoptera (Stoneflies)• Trichoptera (Caddisflies)

• Compare DNA barcodes to traditional bioassessments for EPT taxa

• Cost, Speed, Objectivity, Accuracy, Precision• How important is increased taxonomic precision?

• Determine how to efficiently incorporate DNA barcodes into a state bioassessment program

5

Repeatability and barcode development

Morphology

MarylandDNR

EPA Lab

Guelph

Smithsonian

EPA

DNA

ReferenceBarcodeDatabase

Taxon Experts

RepeatabilityPrecisionCost

RepeatabilityAccuracyPrecisionCost

(taxonomic agreement)

(disagreementor MOTU)

SpeciesDescription

(Adult Voucherspecimens)

6

Tech Transfer is a Major Project Goal• End users are participants in the project

Maryland DNR, EPA-Water

• Tech transfer documents, hands-on workshops, and protocols are key products

• Chose influential end-users that will “convert” others