Winds of change: Charting a pathway to ecosystem monitoring using airborne environmental DNA

Rachel L Tulloch, Clare I.M. Adams, Matthew A Barnes, Elizabeth L Clare, Henrik C van de Ven, Andrew Cridge, Francisco Encinas-Viso, Kristen Fernandes, Dianne M Gleeson, Erin Hill, Anna J.M. Hopkins, Anna M Kearns, Gracie C Kroos, Anna J MacDonald, Francesco Martoni, Angela McGaughran, Todd GB McLay, Linda E Neaves, Paul Nevill, Andrew Pugh, Kye J Robinson, Fabian Roger, Tracey V Steinrucken, Mieke van der Heyde, Cecilia Villacorta-Rath, Jenny Vivian, Erin Hahn

Airborne environmental DNA (airborne eDNA) analysis leverages the globally ubiquitous medium of air to deliver broad species distribution data and support ecosystem monitoring across diverse environments. As this emerging technology matures, addressing critical challenges and seizing key opportunities will be essential to fully realise its potentially transformative impact. In June 2024, the Southern eDNA Society convened over 100 researchers, industry leaders, and biodiversity management stakeholders in a landmark workshop to evaluate the current state of airborne eDNA research and chart a course for future development. Participants explored opportunities for integrating airborne eDNA into existing monitoring systems, but they unanimously agreed that research must first be applied to improving understanding of airborne eDNA ecology. The workshop emphasised the importance of collaborative engagement with stakeholders – including government agencies, Indigenous communities, and citizen scientists – to ensure practical and ethical implementation. This summary highlights actionable recommendations from the workshop, such as addressing outstanding questions about airborne eDNA ecology, refining sampling strategies, and fostering early, sustained stakeholder collaboration. By addressing these challenges, airborne eDNA analysis can become a transformative tool for biodiversity, biosecurity, and conservation monitoring on a global scale. Its ability to detect diverse taxonomic groups—including fungi, plants, arthropods, microbes, and vertebrates—positions airborne eDNA as a pivotal technology for holistic terrestrial biodiversity assessments that transcend traditional, species-focused monitoring approaches.