First European Interlaboratory Ring Test Study to Detect <scp>DNA</scp> of Crayfish and the Crayfish Plague Pathogen From Water Samples

ABSTRACT In recent years, European countries have intensified efforts to control or limit the spread of invasive freshwater crayfish and the crayfish plague pathogen Aphanomyces astaci , while working to conserve native species such as the noble crayfish ( Astacus astacus ). Although crayfish shed relatively low amounts of DNA into their environment, environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches have proven effective for detecting their presence. A range of protocols and equipment is currently used in eDNA‐based monitoring of freshwater crayfish. To evaluate how methodological variation influences detection accuracy, we conducted the first European interlaboratory ring test using eDNA to detect A. astacus , the invasive signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus , a chronic carrier of A. astaci , and the pathogen itself. The aim is to harmonize monitoring methods for crayfish and disease surveillance across laboratories. Eleven teams from thirteen European countries participated, each using its own equipment and protocols to collect and filter water from indoor tanks and outdoor ponds where the presence of A. astacus and P. leniusculus had been experimentally manipulated, as well as from a natural lake containing a P. leniusculus population. The resulting samples were analyzed in each team's laboratory. Despite methodological differences, all teams successfully detected DNA from both crayfish species in indoor tanks (3–10 crayfish/m 3 ). However, detection accuracy declined in outdoor ponds where crayfish density was an order of magnitude lower (0.32 crayfish/m 3 ). Detection was most variable for A. astaci , likely due to its very low prevalence in the host stock. Our study demonstrates the challenges of achieving consistent eDNA results across laboratories and highlights the importance of interlaboratory comparisons. It also underscores the need to identify sources of variability and error, an essential step toward developing robust and standardized protocols. This multinational intercalibration and exchange of knowledge improved methodology and enhanced reliability in crayfish detection.

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Journal
Environmental DNA
Published
2026-01-01
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70238
Primary Topic
Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
Type
article
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0.00

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article

First European Interlaboratory Ring Test Study to Detect DNA of Crayfish and the Crayfish Plague Pathogen From Water Samples

Bogna Griffin, David Strand, Martin Bláha, Anna Aspán et al.
Environmental DNA
Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
article

First European Interlaboratory Ring Test Study to Detect DNA of Crayfish and the Crayfish Plague Pathogen From Water Samples

Bogna Griffin, David Strand, Martin Bláha, Anna Aspán, Linda Söderberg, Fabio Ercoli, Alex C. King, Lennart Edsman, Heike Schmidt‐Posthaus, ADAM PETRUSEK, Timo J. Ruokonen, John Persson, Ljudevit Luka Boštjančić, Michaela Mojžišová, Teja Petra Muha, Björn Rogell, Katrin Kaldre, Birgitta Jacobsson, Jonas A. Steiner, Ludvig Orsén, Michael Oliewo Aluma, Simone Roberto Rolando Pisano, Frédéric Grandjean, A. Vasemägi, Armin Zenker, Lilian Pukk, Pavel Kozák, Lucija Markulin, Thomas Baudry, Carine Delaunay, María Martínez‐Ríos, Terhi Iso‐Touru, Saima Mohammad, Javier Diéguez‐Uribeondo, Kristofer Andersson, Ivana Maguire, Jean‐Yves Georges, Laura Martín‐Torrijos, Kathrin Theissinger
article en

Abstract

ABSTRACT In recent years, European countries have intensified efforts to control or limit the spread of invasive freshwater crayfish and the crayfish plague pathogen Aphanomyces astaci , while working to conserve native species such as the noble crayfish ( Astacus astacus ). Although crayfish shed relatively low amounts of DNA into their environment, environmental DNA (eDNA) approaches have proven effective for detecting their presence. A range of protocols and equipment is currently used in eDNA‐based monitoring of freshwater crayfish. To evaluate how methodological variation influences detection accuracy, we conducted the first European interlaboratory ring test using eDNA to detect A. astacus , the invasive signal crayfish Pacifastacus leniusculus , a chronic carrier of A. astaci , and the pathogen itself. The aim is to harmonize monitoring methods for crayfish and disease surveillance across laboratories. Eleven teams from thirteen European countries participated, each using its own equipment and protocols to collect and filter water from indoor tanks and outdoor ponds where the presence of A. astacus and P. leniusculus had been experimentally manipulated, as well as from a natural lake containing a P. leniusculus population. The resulting samples were analyzed in each team's laboratory. Despite methodological differences, all teams successfully detected DNA from both crayfish species in indoor tanks (3–10 crayfish/m 3 ). However, detection accuracy declined in outdoor ponds where crayfish density was an order of magnitude lower (0.32 crayfish/m 3 ). Detection was most variable for A. astaci , likely due to its very low prevalence in the host stock. Our study demonstrates the challenges of achieving consistent eDNA results across laboratories and highlights the importance of interlaboratory comparisons. It also underscores the need to identify sources of variability and error, an essential step toward developing robust and standardized protocols. This multinational intercalibration and exchange of knowledge improved methodology and enhanced reliability in crayfish detection.

Environmental DNAVol. 8(1)
Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique (FR), Bern University of Applied Sciences (CH), University of Zagreb (HR), Estonian University of Life Sciences (EE), Charles University (CZ), Senckenberg Research Institute and Natural History Museum Frankfurt/M (DE), BIA Separations (Slovenia) (SI), FHNW University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland (CH), Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SE), Natural Resources Institute Finland (FI), University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice (CZ), Université de Poitiers (FR), National Research Council (LK), South Bohemia research center of aquaculture and biodiversity of hydrocenoses (CZ), Marine Institute (IE), Norwegian Veterinary Institute (NO), Oikon (Croatia) (HR), Université de Strasbourg (FR)
Univerzita Karlova v Praze, Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt, Joint Programming Initiative Water challenges for a changing world, Biodiversa+, Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Agence Nationale de la Recherche, National Science Council, Eesti Teadusagentuur, Bundesministerium für Bildung und Forschung, Nordisk Ministerråd, Centre National de la Recherche Scientifique, Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación, Bundesamt für Lebensmittelsicherheit und Veterinärwesen, Eesti Maaülikool, Office Français de la Biodiversité, Université de Poitiers, State Education Development Agency Republic of Latvia
Openalex Percentile: Top 93%
Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Studies
DOIOpen Access PDFOpenAlex
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