A team of scientists from Rutgers University has gained international recognition for their innovative approach to measuring biodiversity in the Amazon rainforest. The group, led by ecologist Julie Lockwood, participated in the XPRIZE Rainforest competition, which challenged participants to document biodiversity without physically entering the forest. The Rutgers team was part of the Map of Life Rapid Assessments team led by Yale University and secured second place in the global contest, earning $2 million out of a $10 million prize pool.
Julie Lockwood expressed her enthusiasm about the project: “We saw this as the chance of a lifetime.” Anthony Vastano, a researcher in Lockwood’s lab, added, “It was thrilling to be involved in the XPRIZE competition, continually innovating and improving mobile environmental DNA tools that we just didn’t dream were possible, even a year ago.”
The competition required teams to create portable laboratories capable of conducting rapid genetic analysis within 72 hours. The Rutgers scientists utilized drones equipped with eDNA devices to collect samples from air, water, and tree canopies over a 250-acre area near Manaus, Brazil. Their efforts resulted in identifying 5,000 individual animals and plants from 225 species.
Lockwood highlighted the potential impact of their work: “Our goal here at Rutgers is to make our eDNA sampling tools accessible and affordable to users of a variety of technical backgrounds.” This innovation aims to generate meaningful biodiversity information globally.
The team’s success was supported by collaborations with scientists from Yale University, Chicago Field Museum, and Universidade Federal Do Amazonas. They conducted their analysis under challenging conditions in an unair-conditioned classroom using advanced equipment like pipettes and DNA sequencers.
Lockwood emphasized the importance of such technological advancements for rainforest conservation: “One would think that simply observing species is not that hard, but most rainforest habitat is still very remote.” The competition sought creative solutions to preserve rainforest diversity amid threats like deforestation and climate change.
