Pacific eDNA Coastal Observatory (PECO)
Lead Organizations
- Tula Foundation - Hakai Institute
- McGill University
Project Description
Molecular observational technologies have the capacity to transform how we observe biodiversity, allowing us to track biotic responses to ocean change and inform management practice. In order to develop the capacity for a molecular monitoring network to track, understand, and predict biodiversity changes, we have launched the Pacific eDNA Coastal Observatory (PECO, 2021-2030). Our growing network spans Alaska to Southern California, a cross-national region of high economic and social interest in marine resource management. Our partners simultaneously collect environmental DNA alongside visual surveys, with centralized metabarcoding. Our project will develop efficient tools, platforms and networks to enable the use of environmental DNA for broad-scale biogeographic assessment, build capacity to track biodiversity changes in time, and connect users with updatable predictive tools on biodiversity changes throughout the Ocean Decade.
PECO is a project endorsed through the Ocean Decade Programme Ocean Biomolecular Observing Network.