Assessing the cost-efficiency of environmental DNA sampling

Abstract

Environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling can be a highly sensitive method for detecting aquatic taxa; however, the cost-efficiency of this technique relative to traditional methods has not been rigorously assessed. We show how methods that account for imperfect and stochastic detection can be used to (i) determine the optimal allocation of survey effort with eDNA sampling for a fixed budget (i.e. identify the optimal combination of water samples vs. site visits), and (ii) assess the cost-efficiency of eDNA sampling relative to traditional survey techniques. We illustrate this approach by comparing eDNA sampling and bottle-trapping for an exotic newt species (Lissotriton v. vulgaris) recently detect..