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Service 03 · Whole-ecosystem species detection
Explore Biodiversity.
Map comprehensive biodiversity, from bacteria to mammals, in freshwater, coastal, and terrestrial environments. Build robust baselines, detect rare species, monitor change, and demonstrate impact for EIAs, HRAs, and nature recovery projects.
Book a consultation →How it works
£275 (discounts available)
4–6 weeks
HRA · EIA · Baseline
What we detect
Not just fish. The whole tree of life.
Environmental DNA biodiversity surveys have historically focused on detecting individual target species or groups. Our whole-community approach goes much further. By sequencing all DNA present in a sample, we simultaneously detect fish, amphibians, mammals, birds, invertebrates, plants, fungi, and microorganisms.
As well as aquatic eDNA kits, we also offer bulk invertebrate eDNA and soil eDNA surveys, enabling biodiversity assessment across all environments.
Our approach
Multi-marker metabarcoding at any scale.
Different groups of organisms require different genetic markers. We use multi-marker panels to target up to 33 taxonomic groups as standard, so you receive more data per sample than with alternative providers.
Aquatic eDNA
Whole ecosystem profiles
Multi-marker metabarcoding for detecting fish, mammals, amphibians, birds, plants, fungi, invertebrates, and micro-organisms.
Invertebrates
Bulk invertebrate samples
COI barcoding for macro-invertebrates from kick-net, Surber, or pitfall samples, across freshwater and terrestrial environments.
Soil eDNA
Terrestrial biodiversity
Multi-marker panels from soil cores for detecting bacteria, fungi, plants, and invertebrates.
Single-species
Targeted species detection
Single-species qPCR to assess presence/absence of protected or invasive species of interest.
Use cases
Built for the full range of ecological work.
EIA & HRA surveys
Biodiversity baselines and impact assessment for planning applications. Defensible data for Habitats Regulations Assessments.
Nature recovery
Monitoring biodiversity outcomes for nature recovery projects, BNG schemes, and landscape-scale conservation programmes.
Ecological consultancies
Rapid, cost-effective species detection for a wide range of survey types, replacing or supplementing traditional methods with eDNA.
Water companies
Freshwater fish community monitoring, invasive species early detection, and biodiversity baseline surveys.
Conservation organisations
Rare and protected species detection, long-term biodiversity monitoring across amphibians, mammals, fish, birds and invertebrates.
Researchers
Multi-taxon community surveys for ecology, biogeography, and conservation biology research at any scale.
What you receive
Simple kits. Simple results.
Sampling kit
One kit. Multiple environments.
Our biodiversity sampling kits are designed for flexible deployment across freshwater, marine, and terrestrial environments. Water filtration, soil coring, and invertebrate preservation formats are all available, clearly labelled, self-contained, and optimised for non-specialist use.
All components are biodegradable or recyclable wherever technically possible.
Frequently asked
Your questions, answered.
Can eDNA replace traditional ecological surveys for EIA?+
eDNA is increasingly accepted alongside or in place of traditional methods for many applications. We can advise on what’s appropriate for your specific project.
Can you detect protected species like great crested newts or otters?+
Yes. Targeted detection assays for protected species including great crested newts, water voles, otters, and native crayfish are included in our biodiversity panel.
How does soil eDNA work?+
Soil cores are collected from your survey area, preserved in the field, and returned to our lab. The genetic material represents organisms living in and moving through the soil.
Can I commission this alongside other Trace services?+
Absolutely. Many clients run multi-service projects from the same field visit. We’ll help you design an efficient sampling programme.
How much does it cost?+
Pricing starts at £275 per sample with discounts available for larger programmes. Book a free consultation for a detailed, transparent quote.
Start a project
What lives in your landscape?
Book a 30-minute consultation. We’ll help you design a biodiversity survey that fits your objectives, timeline, and budget.