Evaluation of aquatic invasive species using eDNA at multiple sites in Oregon

A critical element in the management of public lands and native aquatic species is the identification and eradication of aquatic invasive species. Left unchecked, aquatic invasive species are known to have devastating ecological and economic effects. Early detection of invasive species is the key to population control before species become ubiquitous in colonized environments. To meet the need to monitor large water bodies for multiple invasive aquatic plant and animal species we developed a multi-species microfluidic metabarcoding array targeting 15 invasive plants and algae, 14 invasive animal species alongside 1 pathogen and 8 universal animal targets. We used this array to assess invasive species in navigable river reaches, lakes and reservoirs in sites throughout Oregon, USA, bi-weekly from June to October 2018 with an additional follow up survey in 2023.