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Where Should Monster Hunters Sample?

Shorelines, depths, inflows and open water can carry different DNA signals, so survey design affects what a lake search can find.

On this page

  • Why location and depth matter
  • How water movement spreads DNA
  • What a stronger lake survey would include
Preview for Where Should Monster Hunters Sample?

Introduction

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is often presented as a powerful way to test lake-monster claims, but its success depends heavily on where, when and how researchers collect samples. A lake survey does not simply ask whether unusual DNA is present. It asks whether the sampling design has a realistic chance of encountering the genetic traces of whatever is being sought. In a large lake, shoreline water, deep basins, river inflows and open water can contain very different biological signals. If a hypothetical large unknown animal spends most of its time in one part of the lake while researchers sample another, the survey may fail to detect it even if eDNA technology itself is working properly. For cryptozoology, sampling design is therefore not a technical detail; it is one of the main factors determining what conclusions a monster search can reasonably support.[PubMed Central+2naturemetrics.com]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.goveDNA transport in inflows…Read more…Sampling Design illustration 1

Why Location and Depth Matter

Neil Gemmell - Environmental DNA for Biodiversity, Biosecurity, Global Health and Monster Hunting

Channel: Genomics Aotearoa

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How Water Movement Spreads DNA

A common assumption is that lake water mixes thoroughly, allowing a sample from one location to represent the entire lake. In reality, water movement can both help and hinder detection.

Studies of freshwater eDNA have shown that inflowing streams can transport DNA from upstream environments into lakes, while outflows can carry DNA away. Researchers studying connected lake systems found that inflow and outflow samples often contain signals that differ from those collected within the lake itself. In other words, DNA found near a river mouth may partly reflect organisms living elsewhere in the watershed rather than within the lake proper.[PubMed Central+2IISD]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.goveDNA transport in inflows…Read more…

This creates an important challenge for cryptozoological surveys. Imagine an unusual DNA sequence appearing near a major inflow. Before treating it as evidence of an unknown lake inhabitant, investigators would need to determine whether the material originated upstream and was merely transported into the lake. Likewise, the absence of DNA in one area may reflect dilution, transport or degradation rather than genuine absence of the organism. Hydrology becomes part of the interpretation.[CEA Hal+2Nature]cea.hal.scienceA new flow path: eDNA connecting hydrology and biologyby DR Urycki · 2024 · Cited by 25 — The hydrological cycle begins with preci…

Water movement can also create detection hotspots. Areas where currents converge, where organisms congregate, or where biological material accumulates may produce stronger signals than nearby locations. A survey that relies on only a handful of collection points risks mistaking these local patterns for lake-wide reality.[KMAE Journal+2MBMG Pensoft]kmae-journal.orgIntegrated samplingKMAE JournalEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) sampling strategies influence estimates…We compared point and spatially integrated sampling, two…Sampling Design illustration 2

Why Timing Can Matter as Much as Geography

Sampling water for eDNA—a Supertool for Identifying Species in Lakes

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What a Stronger Lake Survey Would Include

If the goal is to maximise the chance of detecting an unknown large aquatic animal, several sampling-design principles emerge from eDNA research.

Multiple habitat types. Samples should be collected from shorelines, open water, deep basins, shallow bays and major inflows rather than concentrating on a single environment. Different habitats can carry distinct DNA signatures.[naturemetrics.com+2PubMed Central]naturemetrics.comsampling strategies for aquatic environmentsNature MetricsAs in lakes, vertical stratification of the water (as a result of thermoclines) restricts mixing of eDNA, meaning that wate…

Depth stratification. Surface samples alone are insufficient for investigating claims involving deep-water animals. Collecting water at multiple depths provides a more complete picture of how biological signals are distributed through the lake.[BioRxiv+2naturemetrics.com]biorxiv.orgBio Rxiv Thermal stratification and fish thermal preference explain verticalThermal stratification and fish thermal preference explain vertical…April 26, 2020 — Here, we tested how seasonal variation in…Published: April 26, 2020

Replicated sampling. Studies of lake eDNA consistently show that detection improves when multiple independent samples are collected. More samples reduce the influence of chance and local variability.[MBMG Pensoft+2KMAE Journal]mbmg.pensoft.netOpen source on pensoft.net.

Hydrological awareness. Inflows, outflows and circulation patterns should be mapped and incorporated into survey design so that transported DNA is not mistaken for evidence of local residency.[PubMed Central+2IISD]pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.goveDNA transport in inflows…Read more…

Repeated surveys. Sampling at different times of year helps distinguish persistent signals from temporary events and accounts for seasonal changes in lake mixing.[BioRxiv]biorxiv.orgBio Rxiv Thermal stratification and fish thermal preference explain verticalThermal stratification and fish thermal preference explain vertical…April 26, 2020 — Here, we tested how seasonal variation in…Published: April 26, 2020Sampling Design illustration 3

The Main Lesson for Monster Searches

The most important insight from modern eDNA work is that a lake is not a single sampling unit. It is a collection of interconnected habitats linked by depth, currents, inflows and seasonal mixing. A negative result from a poorly designed survey may say little about whether an unusual organism exists. Conversely, a well-designed survey that systematically samples multiple depths, locations and seasons can place much stronger limits on what is likely to inhabit a lake.

NESSIE DNA

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        See on Amazon</a></div></div></article><article class="fr-book-card"><a class="fr-book-cover" href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Beasts+That+Hide+from+Man+by+Karl+Shuker&amp;i=stripbooks&amp;tag=searcht-20" target="_blank" rel="sponsored noopener noreferrer" aria-label="Open The Beasts That Hide from Man on Amazon"><span class="fr-book-cover-fallback">Book</span><img class="fr-book-cover-thumb" src="https://books.google.com/books/content?id=QNFR4xHHIegC&amp;printsec=frontcover&amp;img=1&amp;zoom=1&amp;edge=curl&amp;source=gbs_api" alt="Cover for The Beasts That Hide from Man" loading="lazy" decoding="async" fetchpriority="low" referrerpolicy="no-referrer" onerror="this.hidden=true;this.closest('.fr-book-cover').classList.add('fr-book-cover-placeholder');"></a><div class="fr-book-info"><h4 class="fr-book-title"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Beasts+That+Hide+from+Man+by+Karl+Shuker&amp;i=stripbooks&amp;tag=searcht-20" target="_blank" rel="sponsored noopener noreferrer" title="The Beasts That Hide from Man">The Beasts That Hide from Man</a></h4><p class="fr-book-author">By Karl Shuker</p><p class="fr-book-desc">Provides examples of elusive-animal investigations.</p><div class="fr-book-actions"><a href="https://www.amazon.com/s?k=The+Beasts+That+Hide+from+Man+by+Karl+Shuker&amp;i=stripbooks&amp;tag=searcht-20" class="fr-amazon-btn" target="_blank" rel="sponsored noopener noreferrer">
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Endnotes

1. Source: naturemetrics.com
Title: sampling strategies for aquatic environments
Link:https://www.naturemetrics.com/kit-instructions/advice-note-sampling-strategies-for-aquatic-environments

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Nature MetricsAs in lakes, vertical stratification of the water (as a result of thermoclines) restricts mixing of eDNA, meaning that wate…</p>

2. Source: fws.gov
Title: BMP Complete Final Draft 4.1.22 REM LJW
Link:https://www.fws.gov/sites/default/files/documents/BMP%20Complete%20Final%20Draft%204.1.22%20-%20REM%20LJW.pdf

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Fish and Wildlife Service[PDF] Environmental DNA (eDNA) - U.S. Fish and Wildlife ServiceIf sampling points on a lake or pond are located…</p>

3. Source: biorxiv.org
Title: Bio Rxiv Thermal stratification and fish thermal preference explain vertical
Link:https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.04.21.042820v1.full-text

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Thermal stratification and fish thermal preference explain vertical…April 26, 2020 — Here, we tested how seasonal variation in…</p>
Published: April 26, 2020

4. Source: Wikipedia
Title: Environmental DNA
Link:https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_DNA

5. Source: iisd.org
Link:https://www.iisd.org/articles/press-release/freshwater-connectivity-can-transport-environmental-dna-through-landscape

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Freshwater connectivity can transport environmental DNA…The study found that the movement of water between freshwater bodies, or f…</p>

6. Source: cea.hal.science
Link:https://cea.hal.science/cea-04664459/file/WIREs%20Water%20-%202024%20-%20URycki%20-%20A%20new%20flow%20path%20eDNA%20connecting%20hydrology%20and%20biology.pdf

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>A new flow path: eDNA connecting hydrology and biologyby DR Urycki · 2024 · Cited by 25 — The hydrological cycle begins with preci…</p>

7. Source: nature.com
Link:https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-05223-1

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Controls on eDNA movement in streams: Transport…by AJ Shogren · 2017 · Cited by 459 — In aquatic systems, eDNA consists of genetic ma…</p>

8. Source: kmae-journal.org
Title: Integrated sampling
Link:https://www.kmae-journal.org/articles/kmae/full_html/2026/01/kmae250141/kmae250141.html

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>KMAE JournalEnvironmental DNA (eDNA) sampling strategies influence estimates…We compared point and spatially integrated sampling, two…</p>

9. Source: mbmg.pensoft.net
Link:https://mbmg.pensoft.net/article/104655/

10. Source: oceanexplorer.noaa.gov
Title: Ocean Exploration Environmental DNA (e DNA)
Link:https://oceanexplorer.noaa.gov/technology/edna/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>DNA (eDNA) - NOAA Ocean ExplorationJuly 23, 2020 — By collecting samples of mucus, feces, or tissue particles, scientists can process eDN…</p>
Published: July 23, 2020

11. Source: biorxiv.org
Title: 2022.07.20.500822v1.full text
Link:https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2022.07.20.500822v1.full-text

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Freshwater connectivity transforms spatially integrated…by JE Littlefair · 2022 · Cited by 21 — Here, we determine the spatial resolut…</p>

12. Source: pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
Link:https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC10498028/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>eDNA transport in inflows…Read more…</p>

13. Source: otago.ac.nz
Link:https://www.otago.ac.nz/news/newsroom/first-edna-study-of-loch-ness-points-to-something-fishy

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>University of OtagoFirst eDNA Study Of Loch Ness Points To Something Fishy5 Sept 2019 — The results come after 250 samples of water were…</p>

14. Source: lochnessproject.org
Link:https://www.lochnessproject.org/FIELDWORKGROUNDTRUTH/eDNA%20LOCH%20NESS/eDNA%20LOCHNESS_index.html

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>eDNA IndexThe eDNA survey involved shore-line, surface, mid and deepwater sampling at Loch Ness and three other lochs. The water samples…</p>

15. Source: livescience.com
Title: loch ness monster dna study
Link:https://www.livescience.com/loch-ness-monster-dna-study.html

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Live ScienceLoch Ness Contains No 'Monster'' DNA, Say Scientists9 Sept 2019 — The scientific team surveyed Loch Ness in June 2018, taking…</p>
Published: June 2018

Additional References

16. Source: sciencefocus.com
Title: loch ness monster dna study reveals plausible explanation for sightings
Link:https://www.sciencefocus.com/news/loch-ness-monster-dna-study-reveals-plausible-explanation-for-sightings

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Loch Ness Monster DNA study reveals 'plausible'…5 Sept 2019 — The research, led by Professor Neil Gemmell from the University of Otago…</p>

17. Source: iiseagrant.org
Title: Environmental DNA sampling is a helpful tool for fisheries managers
Link:https://iiseagrant.org/environmental-dna-sampling-is-a-helpful-tool-for-fisheries-managers/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>December 6, 2017 — eDNA sampling has been used in lakes and rivers to check for the presence or absence of a species as well as quantifyi…</p>
Published: December 6, 2017

18. Source: researchgate.net
Link:https://www.researchgate.net/publication/262813546_Distance_flow_and_PCR_inhibition_EDNA_dynamics_in_two_headwater_streams

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>(PDF) Distance, flow and PCR inhibition: EDNA dynamics…The main effect of flow on eDNA counts was in opposite directions in the two st…</p>

19. Source: abc.net.au
Title: loch ness monster hunt nessie scotland environmental dna
Link:https://www.abc.net.au/news/2018-06-28/loch-ness-monster-hunt-nessie-scotland-environmental-dna/9918638

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Loch Ness monster hunt using environmental DNA…28 Jun 2018 — We have now finished two weeks of field work for this project, having col…</p>

20. Source: youtube.com
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jmNI7WE6Nd4

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Sampling water for eDNA—a Supertool for Identifying Species in…April 28, 2026 — Water samples scooped from lakes in Gatineau Park are…</p>
Published: April 28, 2026

21. Source: facebook.com
Link:https://www.facebook.com/groups/470765477828717/posts/1122742882630970/

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>us. For instance we know they didn't detect some…Read more…</p>

22. Source: lochnessmystery.blogspot.com
Link:https://lochnessmystery.blogspot.com/2019/10/looking-back-on-edna-results.html

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>LOCH NESS MONSTER: Looking back on the eDNA results13 Oct 2019 — Looking at the public database, 11 of the 56 samples were taken at depth…</p>

23. Source: sci.news
Title: eel dna loch ness 07580
Link:https://www.sci.news/biology/eel-dna-loch-ness-07580.html

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>250 samples of water from various spots in Loch Ness. eDNA from each sample was captured, extracted and sequenced then compared against…</p>

24. Source: youtube.com
Title: Neil Gemmell
Link:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E4y62Pa4b28

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>The Loch Ness DNA Test Results That Terrified Scientists…</p>

25. Source: qmul.ac.uk
Link:https://www.qmul.ac.uk/news/latest-news/2023/se/freshwater-connectivity-can-transport-environmental-dna-through-the-landscape.html

<summary>Source snippet</summary><p>Queen Mary University of LondonFreshwater connectivity can transport environmental DNA…13 Sept 2023 — The study found that the movemen…</p>

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e DNA Can e DNA Solve Lake Monster Mysteries?

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