title: Sampling large geographic areas for rare species using environmental DNA: a study of bull trout Salvelinus confluentus occupancy in western Montana.
abstract: This study tested the efficacy of environmental DNA (eDNA) sampling to delineate the distribution of bull trout Salvelinus confluentus in headwater streams in western Montana, U.S.A. Surveys proved fast, reliable and sensitive: 124 samples were collected across five basins by a single crew in c. 8 days. Results were largely consistent with past electrofishing, but, in a basin where S. confluentus were known to be scarce, eDNA samples indicated that S. confluentus were more broadly distributed than previously thought.
authors.affiliation: U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 East Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT, 59801, U.S.A.
authors.forename: K S
authors.initials: KS
authors.lastname: McKelvey
authors.affiliation: U.S. Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 East Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT, 59801, U.S.A.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Young
authors.affiliation: Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks, 3201 Spurgin Road, Missoula, MT, 59804, U.S.A.
authors.forename: W L
authors.initials: WL
authors.lastname: Knotek
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 East Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT, 59801, U.S.A.
authors.forename: K J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Carim
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 East Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT, 59801, U.S.A.|Division of Biological Sciences, University of Montana, Missoula, MT, 59812, U.S.A.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Wilcox
authors.affiliation: Hellgate High School, MCPS, 900 South Higgins Avenue, Missoula, MT, 59801, U.S.A.
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Padgett-Stewart
authors.affiliation: United States Department of Agriculture, Forest Service, National Genomics Center for Wildlife and Fish Conservation, Rocky Mountain Research Station, 800 East Beckwith Avenue, Missoula, MT, 59801, U.S.A.
authors.forename: M K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Schwartz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D056727:Endangered Species / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence*; D004777:Environment; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods*; D009009:Montana; D060888:Real-Time Polymerase Chain Reaction / Q000662:veterinary; D045483:Rivers; D013045:Species Specificity; D014337:Trout / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: distribution; eDNA; genetics; occupancy; quantitative PCR