Researchers at Washington State University are using environmental DNA to help save the world\u2019s largest freshwater turtle from extinction, according to a release from the school. Their study will focus on the Yangtze softshell, the world\u2019s largest species of freshwater turtle. <\/p>\n
Environmental DNA is a useful tool for the investigation, scientists say, because it allows them to see if an animal is there without having to find it.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf you are looking for a cougar or some other large animal in a patch of trees, you can hear it and find other signs it is there,\u201d said Caren Goldberg, assistant professor in Washington State\u2019s School of Environment, in a statement. \u201cBut I can stand next to a wetland and wonder whether there is an endangered salamander there and not be able to tell for sure.\u201d<\/p>\n
Tracking eDNA can solve that problem because researchers only need to collect water samples to see if a Yangtze turtle is there. The samples are then processed through cellulose nitrate filters to separate out bits of DNA and then analyzed in a lab to confirm if the DNA matches up to one of the endangered softshells. <\/p>\n
Top image:\u00a0Yangtze giant softshell turtle.<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Researchers at Washington State University are using environmental DNA to help save the world\u2019s largest freshwater turtle from extinction, according to a release from the school. Their study will focus on the Yangtze softshell, the world\u2019s largest species of freshwater turtle. Environmental DNA is a useful tool for the investigation, scientists say, because it allows […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":21289,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4,7],"tags":[118,13,120,103,293,200],"class_list":["post-21291","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-aquatic_species-htm","category-news","tag-aquatic-species","tag-biology","tag-edna","tag-news-2","tag-turtles","tag-washington-state-university"],"remote_post_permalink":false,"remote_post_featured_image":false,"yoast_head":"\n