There is no part of our ocean that is untouched by humans. Important ecosystems such as coral reefs, seagrass meadows and kelp forests are declining due to climate change and other human disturbances. In their article, researchers van Oppen and Coleman propose that the use of genetic and genomic approaches through traditional strategies and recent developments such as assisted evolution holds great promise in advancing marine conservation and restoration.
For example, DNA sequencing can now identify illegally caught seafood products to protect threatened species. DNA from seawater samples — known as environmental DNA — is emerging as a more viable alternative or complement to traditional SCUBA-based surveys of marine biodiversity, and can also be used to monitor disease outbreaks and the spread of invasive species. In addition, existing genomic technologies can help the fisheries sector grasp fish stocks and monitor how fish adapt to stressors in their environment.
Looking ahead, van Oppen and Coleman point to a variety of developing technologies that could benefit marine life. Just as humans take probiotics to promote gut health, specific bacterial and fungal species can be identified or engineered to benefit wildlife such as corals. Synthetic biology can make products previously obtained from marine ecosystems, such as horseshoe crab blood, in the lab, and genome editing can be used to help organisms adapt more rapidly to their changing environments. Although still controversial, it is also possible to use gene drives to spread destructive genes through populations, thereby eliminating invasive species.
Effective use of these methods will require the development of suitable online platforms and enhanced collaboration among various stakeholders in the marine ecosystem, and the researchers call on funding agencies to support these efforts. They concluded that genomic technologies could greatly improve conservation and restoration efforts, but only if the gap between genomics experts and marine biodiversity managers can be bridged.
Van Oppen added: “Genetic/genomics approaches can transform the way we protect, manage and conserve marine life, and can help increase the resilience of marine species to climate change.”