Great crested newts are a European Protected Species in the UK, and surveys are often required to assess their presence or likely absence from a development site before any work can begin. Traditionally, these surveys involved multiple night-time visits during the breeding season, which can be time-consuming and disruptive.
Enter environmental DNA – or eDNA – analysis, which offers a quicker and more efficient alternative to detect GCN presence or absence.
What is eDNA?
eDNA refers to tiny traces of genetic material shed by organisms in their environment. For great crested newts, this could be skin cells left in the water. By collecting water samples and analysing them for newt DNA, we can determine their presence or absence from a particular waterbody, which may be on or close to your site.
Top tip: Great crested newts could be present on your site even if there is no pond. GCN spend most of the year on land, returning to their ponds to breed between March and June. So, if there is suitable terrestrial habitat on your site (like grassland, scrub or woodland) and there are ponds nearby, you may need to survey the pond(s) to rule out their presence.
When can we do eDNA surveys?
The good news is that the upcoming survey window for eDNA analysis in the UK is just around the corner! Samples can be collected between 15th April and 30th June, and analysis of samples can be as quick as 24 hours.
Important Note: eDNA won’t tell you how many newts are there, but it’s a fantastic first step! If the eDNA test is negative, no further surveys will be needed, but if presence is confirmed, further surveys to determine the population size (using traditional survey methods) might be required to enable ecologists to design the most effective strategy to avoid harming them as a result of your development proposals.
In a nutshell: eDNA is an efficient strategy to determine presence or absence of GCN from a site without time-consuming traditional surveys, but we recommend having your eDNA survey conducted early on in the survey window so the required number of traditional surveys can still be done within the survey window if presence is confirmed.
Get in touch now if you think you may need eDNA surveys, to secure your survey early in the season.
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