Our Evidence Officer Lowri Watkins diligently sifted through the Reen Invertebrate results and produced a great report that can be viewed below

Some headlines are....

A total of 194 taxa were detected:

• Average taxonomic richness per sample site was 43.9 and ranged from 13 to 86
• Most abundant sequences: Chaoborus pallidus (a phantom midge/glassworm species)
• Most commonly detected taxa: Acricotopus lucens (non-biting midge species), Coryneura scutellata (non-biting midge species) and Caenis robusta (a small square-gill mayfly species)
• Possible new records (UK)*: 7 taxa
• Possible new records (Wales)*: 17 taxa (9 excluding those new to UK)
• Possible new records (Gwent)*: 25 taxa (8 excluding those new to Wales)
• UK IUCN Red List taxa detected: 11 taxa (1 x Near Threatened; 10 x Least Concern)

Taxa recorded as new to UK/Wales/Gwent are yet to be confirmed with specialist recording groups and are based on record searches of Aderyn and NBN only.

We also, just as importantly, found limitations to the survey, with hard bodied invertebrates, such as beetles shedding less eDNA, so perhaps being underestimated in the results. And the sampling took place mid-water, therefore perhaps missing species in the silt. Additionally, better data would be revealed by sampling a greater number of sites and repeating this as a form of monitoring; and that is indeed our ambition for the future.

This pilot study has demonstrated the great potential and with more funding and ever- improving eDNA technology, this could be a valuable method of monitoring the health of the vitally important, but threatened Gwent Levels.    

With the much-appreciated help of experts at Aberystwyth University, (who did the lab work) we tackled the wealth of information produced. The full report can be viewed below

Across the 30 sites a hugely impressive 100 CHEGD* Fungi species were detected.

*CHEGD stands for the first letter of the 5 key fungi groups involved in this assessment and is a standard, recognised way to assess the value of Grassland Fungi sites:

Clavarioids (spindles, club and coral fungi)

Hygrocybe (although recent DNA work has split this up) genus (Waxcaps)

Entoloma (pinkgills)

Geoglossum (earthtongues and relatives)

Dermoloma (Crazed caps and relatives)

Some sites alone had over 40 of these, just within the 30mx30m survey quadrat. This included 18 species that are assessed as “Vulnerable”*.

*IUCN (International Union for Conservation of Nature)  Vulnerable – IUCN Criteria suggest that best available evidence indicates that it is facing a high risk of extinction in the wild.

Some of the sites we surveyed were known excellent Grassland Fungi sites and we were able to compare “traditional” and eDNA Survey results, with which the eDNA compared very favourably. At other sites their value was previously unknown, so we have discovered many new important Grassland Fungi sites and made the owners aware of their value, how to care for them and hopefully ignited an enthusiasm. Furthermore, by surveying a less favourable site immediately adjacent a known fantastic fungi site we have demonstrated just how long it can take for Grassland Fungi to colonise sites and therefore how important it is to preserve those in existence.  

As well as the fungi, the eDNA was able to identify the grasses and wildflowers present which was a useful and interesting bonus survey result. Whilst this is no substitute, both scientifically and as an experience of surveying the flora conventionally, it did highlight a few species not previously recorded at sites and certainly would provide a great indication that a site is species-rich and worthy of further survey work.

We can conclude that the eDNA surveys were certainly interesting and more importantly useful towards our work. We will be hoping to do more in the future if funding can be secured. Further Invertebrate work on The Levels would be fantastic and we also aspire to carry out eDNA work on Dung Beetles.