Every organism in a lake sheds genetic material into the water — skin cells, scales, mucus, pollen, spores. Filter a litre of that water, sequence what is caught on the filter, and you get a list of what has recently been in it: fish, plants, algae, invertebrates, and in many cases pathogens. No nets, no electrofishing, no diver, no specialist training.Sold in sets of three. Three samples is the minimum order and it is deliberate — a single sample describes one corner of a lake, and three sites across different habitats is what makes the result a survey rather than a data point. On-site filtration takes roughly five minutes per sample using a syringe and an encapsulated filter, and the preservation system means samples ship at room temperature by ordinary post.This is the starting point for genetic monitoring. It establishes the baseline every later test is measured against, and it tells you which species are worth watching for.You keep the raw sequence files. That is what turns this from a test into a record — reference libraries improve every year, and archived data can be reprocessed against a better one later.One of four genetic tests. “Census” reads the whole community; “Watch” looks for one named species. Lake Census and Species Watch read DNA; the two “Live” tests read RNA, which only living, active organisms produce. Lake Census — DNA, broad: what lives here? Species Watch — DNA, one species: is it here yet? Live Census — RNA, broad: what is alive and active right now? Live Watch — RNA, one species: is it alive and active here now? Most lakes should start broad and narrow down: census first, then watch, then confirm. Which genetic test should your lake start with?Note on methodology: eDNA analysis is not an EPA-approved method. It is a survey and screening tool, and results are not suitable for regulatory or compliance use.
