Jun 10, 2022

Scientists seek to grow the field of eDNA research ‘without squelching creativity’

The eDNA Collaborative team. From left to right: Program manager Cara Sucher, director Ryan Kelly and chief scientist Eily Andruszkiewicz Allan.eDNA Collaborative

A new effort at the University of Washington aims to accelerate eDNA research by supporting existing projects and building a network of practitioners to advance the nascent field. Called the eDNA Collaborative, the team is based in the College of the Environment with leadership and program staff from the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs. For about a decade, scientists have honed the craft of using genetic material in the environment — known as eDNA — to detect and monitor organisms for environmental science and conservation.

"The stars have moved": how climate change is impacting the planet at multiple scales

Situated on an Arctic barrier island along the northwest coast of Alaska is the village of Kivalina, an Iñupiaq community of about 500 people. Colleen Swan, city administrator and coordinator of its volunteer Search and Rescue organization, is an advocate for her community and has always taken concerns about Indigenous health, environment and identity seriously, and works to seek out solutions.

Adm. Linda Fagan '00 nominated to head Coast Guard, first woman to lead a US armed service

U.S. Coast Guard Vice Commandant Admiral Linda Fagan ’00 was nominated to head the U.S. Coast Guard, as announced by the Biden Administration on Tuesday, April 5th, 2022. Adm. Fagan would become the first woman to lead a branch of the U.S. military. Fagan is a graduate of the School of Marine and Environmental Affairs, completing a thesis entitled “Improving the quality of information in the marine transportation system: an exercise in risk reduction.”

How Alaska Native communities are building resilience to climate change

On the shores of the Chukchi Sea in far northwest Alaska, climate change is already impacting the traditional way of life of the Iñupiaq people. The inhabitants of this region have lived off the land for thousands of years, hunting caribou and bearded seals, fishing for salmon and sheefish, and foraging wild berries and plants. But as the planet warms and Arctic sea ice thins, accessing and harvesting these traditional foods has become more difficult.

eDNA a useful tool for early detection of invasive green crab

Ryan Kelly, left, and Abigail Keller collect water samples in Drayton Harbor, Washington, in 2020.

European green crabs feast on shellfish, destroy marsh habitats by burrowing in the mud and obliterate valuable seagrass beds. The invasive species also reproduces quickly, making it a nightmare for wildlife managers seeking to control its spread in Washington’s marine waters. Last month, Gov. Jay Inslee issued an emergency order in response to more than 70,000 crabs caught on Lummi Nation land as well as dramatic increases in crab populations on Washington’s outer coast and other locations in Puget Sound in recent years.