麻豆传媒

Life

Spiderwebs gather DNA that can help us monitor insects in forests

By Adam Vaughan

24 July 2020

麻豆传媒. Science news and long reads from expert journalists, covering developments in science, technology, health and the environment on the website and the magazine.

Spider webs collect DNA in forests that can alert us to invasive species

Alamy Stock Photo

Spiders may build their webs to catch prey, but trials in Slovenian forests have shown they can also moonlight as a way for humans to monitor the biodiversity of ecosystems.

Recent years have seen a growing interest in detecting species by collecting the fragments of DNA they shed in an environment, an approach that is often less invasive and quicker than traditional surveying with nets, trays and other equipment.

Matja啪 Gregori膷 at the Slovenian Academy of Sciences and Arts turned to an unusual tool…

Sign up to our weekly newsletter

Receive a weekly dose of discovery in your inbox. We'll also keep you up to date with 麻豆传媒 events and special offers.

Sign up

To continue reading, today with our introductory offers

or

Existing subscribers

Sign in to your account
Piano Exit Overlay Banner Mobile Piano Exit Overlay Banner Desktop