Choosing the right kit ultimately comes down to what you're trying to understand from your survey. Below is an explainer of what to buy depending on what question you are trying to answer, and more information about each of our kit types.
Is a protected species present?
Use qPCR (targeted) for single-species confirmation. Results in as little as 10 days. Presence/absence data.
What species community is here?
Use Metabarcoding (MBC) for broad community screening. Hundreds of species and understanding of community composition from a single sample.
Do I have an invasive species problem?
Use single species tests (qPCR) for known species (e.g. signal crayfish, mitten crab) or multi-species tests (metabarcoding) for horizon-scanning.
Aquatic Filter Kit
A syringe or electric pump is used to push 1–5 litres of water through a membrane filter, trapping microscopic DNA shed by aquatic life. Works in all freshwater and marine environments.
Tests available: Unionid mussels, eukaryotes, bacteria, bivalves, vertebrates, fish, mammals, birds, invertabrates, amphibians
Soil & Sediment Kit
A soil corer or sediment scoop is used to extract 4 sub-samples per sample zone, which are combined into a composite sample and preserved in a buffer solution. Works in all soil and sediment types.
Tests available: Bacteria, fungi, invertebrates, marine eukaryotes
Tissue & Bulk Invertebrates Kit
We accept samples from a variety of established sampling methods including: malaise, pitfall, light, pan, Winkler, Kicknet traps and marine wall and infrastructure scrapes.
Tests available: Marine eukaryotes, marine bacteria, invertebrates
Barcoding Kit
Have a species of interest? If there is a particular species you want to identify in your eDNA samples, capturing and swabbing the organism provides a tissue sample that NatureMetrics can barcode. This is especially valuable in regions where reference databases are less complete. It adds the species to our database, giving us a verified genetic signature to match against — so if it appears in your eDNA samples, we can report its presence with confidence.
Tests available:
Fish
Bioacoustics Kit
Weatherproof device attached to a tree or post. Records continuously for 2-4 weeks. Identifies species from the acoustic soundscape.
Tests available: Birds only, bats only, birds and bats combined
Surface Swab Kit
A sterile swab is wiped across surfaces for 3 minutes — bark, leaves, flowers, burrows, nests — to collect airborne DNA from animals that has accumulated on vegetation surfaces.
Tests available: Mammals, vertebrates, pollinators
View the full catalogue of tests available with each kit, or chat to the team about your project and we can steer you in the right direction.
