GB Row is excited to announce a partnership with world-leading environmental DNA (eDNA) company NatureMetrics to help our crews shed light on the amazing biodiversity that lives around our coastline. eDNA technology lets us discover what species live in the water by analysing the tiny traces of DNA they leave behind like fingerprints in the ocean. Each day during the row, our crews will filter a few litres of water, capturing the DNA traces on the filter membrane. The filters will be sent back to the NatureMetrics labs in Guildford where they will be analysed to read the DNA sequences and identify which species are present in each location. NatureMetrics will then work with the University of Portsmouth team to combine this biodiversity data with the other datasets being collected on noise and plastic pollution, so we can investigate how these factors are affecting the species in our seas.
NatureMetrics founder Dr Kat Bruce is rowing in Team Albatross for GB Row 2022.
