Date of Completion
5-5-2025
Degree Type
Honors Thesis - Campus Access
Discipline
Biology (BIOL)
First Advisor
Demian Willette
Abstract
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is the genetic material shed by organisms in the environment. It has emerged as a powerful tool for assessing biodiversity, particularly in aquatic settings. However, in terrestrial environments, there are gaps in what substrate(s), filter(s), and machinery can collect airborne eDNA. Since 2020, spiderwebs have emerged as a promising novel substrate for airborne eDNA collection. To assess the biodiversity at Ascot Hills Park, Los Angeles, California, this study investigates the use of spiderwebs for airborne eDNA collection. To evaluate this approach, six spiderweb samples were collected from six plants in a forest restoration site. Traditional biodiversity field surveys have also been completed for comparison. Using sterile techniques, spiderwebs were collected and placed in blue buffer and proteinase K. eDNA extraction, amplification, and sequencing were completed. Subsequent bioinformatic analysis was performed to identify species present in the collected samples. Results indicate that spiderwebs effectively capture a wide range of airborne eDNA from terrestrial species, including vertebrates and invertebrates, and offer a non-invasive method for biodiversity assessment. The findings highlight the potential for spiderweb-based eDNA sampling as a complementary approach to traditional biodiversity monitoring techniques.
Recommended Citation
Seid, Sabriya and Willette, Demian, "WebMD: Diagnosing Ascot Hills Park’s Biodiversity Using Environmental DNA (eDNA) from Spiderwebs" (2025). Honors Thesis. 571.
https://digitalcommons.lmu.edu/honors-thesis/571
