Congratulations to SMEA Assistant Professor Ryan Kelly, the lead author of the recently published paper “Genetic signatures of ecological diversity along an urbanization gradient.” Kelly and his co-authors, which include SMEA Post-doc Jimmy O’Donnell and SMEA Alum Natalie Lowell, used environmental DNA — or eDNA, and found that urban Puget Sound shorelines support a denser array of animals than in remote areas. The researchers collected liters of water from urbanized and remote beaches around Puget Sound, then filtered out cells larger than bacteria. They then extracted DNA from these cells, using a molecular tool to detect animal genes. This is believed to be the first study that uses genetic markers to understand the impact urbanization has on the environment — specifically, whether animal diversity flourishes or suffers. See related stories in UW Today, GeekWire and NW News Network.

Kelly RP, O’Donnell JL, Lowell NC, Shelton AO, Samhouri JF, Hennessey SM, Feist BE, Williams GD. (2016) Genetic signatures of ecological diversity along an urbanization gradient. PeerJ 4:e2444 https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.2444