Ocean's Invisible Footprints: Unveiling Climate-Migration with eDNA

As climate change accelerates, species across the globe are on the move. In Australia's warming oceans, tropical fish are migrating to cooler, temperate waters, creating new ecosystems along the east coast.

To track these changes, researchers have turned to environmental DNA (eDNA) as a powerful tool, supplementing traditional visual surveys to uncover a more complete picture of marine life shifts. This method involves analyzing genetic matter found in seawater, revealing species presence that visual inspections sometimes miss.

Such migrations reflect global trends as climate change forces species to adapt to new habitats. Understanding these movements is essential for predicting and managing the future impacts on biodiversity and ecosystem health.

(With inputs from agencies.)