Hidden marine biodiversity: applications of e-DNA on marine biodiversity and conservation

• Grant number: 24/00485-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Journalism
• Start date: June 01, 2024
• End date: December 31, 2024
• Field of knowledge: Physical Sciences and Mathematics - Oceanography - Biological Oceanography
• Principal Investigator: Rodrigo Rodrigues Domingues
• Grantee: Sofia Zucchi de Souza
• Host Institution: Instituto Oceanográfico (IO). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Associated research grant: 19/10201-0 - Marine biodiversity: an exploration of São Paulo coastal islands using environmental DNA metabarcoding, AP.BTA.JP

Abstract

With the Decade of Ocean, proposed by the United Nations in 2017, the oceans and their biodiversity have received increasing focus. There is a growing concern in society with the conservation of marine habitats, marine pollution and species preservation. However, there is still a lack of means of communication that take data and scientific discoveries to the population in a dynamic and understandable way, enabling society to interact with academic-scientific aspects about the ocean. With the "Comunicar Ciência" Notice from Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado de São Paulo (FAPESP), in partnership with Fundação Roberto Marinho, we, students Sofia Zucchi de Souza and Iris de Moura Viana, undergraduates, respectively, in Oceanography and Biology at Universidade de São Paulo, see an opportunity to go more in depth into a scientific dissemination initiative, recording the research developed at Laboratório de Genômica Marinha do Instituto Oceanográfico da Universidade de São Paulo (LAGEM-IOUSP) coordinated by Dr. Rodrigo R. Domingues. LAGEM-IOUSP focuses on the study of marine biodiversity based on the identification of species through the analysis of DNA present in samples from the marine environment (eDNA). This identification is made using the metabarcode technique, a process in which, from a sample collected from the environment, the DNA is extracted, which is then sequenced. From this genetic material, it is possible to identify the species that resides in or passed through that specific region of the ocean, making it possible to study the biodiversity of the region, the possible risks that the organisms that live there could suffer from and the effectiveness of preservation measures. Through the course offered by Fundação Roberto Marinho, we hope to go more in depth on the proposed communication languages (podcast, report or video report), and understand the best way to produce content according to the subject and target audience. We intend to create content that brings the viewer closer to the reality of the research carried out, showing the way researchers operate, the inspiration for their research, the collection of samples, the analysis carried out on them and the conclusions, in addition to a historical approach, presenting the evolution and the importance of marine biodiversity research. The content created will be published on the Instagram profile of LAGEM-IOUSP (https://www.instagram.com/lagem.iousp?igsh=MW5qNnJwZTE3MnNxdw%3D%3D). Through the Comunicar Ciência experience, we hope to raise awareness in society about the importance of marine biodiversity, its richness and the risks faced by it, bringing academia and society closer together.