Enhancing species baselines using a novel monitoring technique

Robust biodiversity baselines are essential for understanding ecosystem condition and informing decisions related to land management, impact assessment and conservation. Traditional survey methods can be time-intensive, resource-heavy and limited in their ability to detect elusive or low abundance species. Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a novel way to strengthen biodiversity monitoring and improve understanding of ecosystems that are under pressure from human activity and environmental change. In FY2025, BHP reaffirmed our commitment to Curtin University’s eDNA for Global Environment Studies (eDGES) program by contributing a further A$6.25 million and extending support for four additional years.

Led by Curtin University’s Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Laboratory, the program is generating datasets and techniques that will support more resilient monitoring systems, and enabling the detection of change over time rather than reliance on single point assessments. As Professor Morten Allentoft, Head of the TrEnD Laboratory, explains: “Living organisms leave behind traces of DNA in water, soil, surfaces or air, which can be used to understand where species interact with the environment, and this information when monitored over time can be very insightful on how ecosystems are changing.”

Recent research activities include a controlled investigation into reptile DNA shedding and persistence in terrestrial environments. More than 1,000 environmental samples were collected using custom-built enclosures temporarily housing western tiger snakes (Notechis scutatus), to improve understanding of how eDNA can be used to detect what is a broadly understudied animal group generally. Studies are designed to further innovate reptile biomonitoring, expanding eDNA detections being done on the Pilbara olive python across BHP sites in the Pilbara. Future opportunities with these new methods aim to improve reptile detection sensitivity and potentially lead to greater genetic diversity information from eDNA analysis.

At a broader scale, over 1,000 samples have been collected from more than 150 wetlands across south-western Australia, generating baseline data across a region comparable in size to the United Kingdom. Further, a temporal biodiversity study has been running in natural areas adjacent to BHP’s Yandi mine site using passive air filters to capture eDNA signals of resident wildlife. The collective goal has been to support the development of tools capable of tracking changes in species diversity and ecosystem condition in response to shifting climate conditions, altered fire regimes and the spread of invasive pests or disease, strengthening the evidence available to support adaptive management.

Marine biodiversity is being catalogued in the forthcoming publication Marine Life of Northwestern Australia, which will provide the first consolidated overview of marine biodiversity in this under-studied region. This will include new findings of mollusc species from the Port Headland area identified through eDGES research. Further, development of an eDNA method capable of detecting multiple invasive species within a single sample has commenced, supporting targeted screening aligned to priority species lists for ports and shipping activities.

BHP’s Head of Biodiversity, Dr Tim Cooper, said the company is proud to support innovative research like eDGES

“The eDGES program in the TrEnD Lab at Curtin University has the potential to create a new generation of biodiversity conservation tools to help industry and government make informed decisions.”

“The program is helping to fill knowledge gaps for better biodiversity and conservation outcomes, supporting improvements in our impact assessments while also training the next generation of genetic and data scientists,” Dr Cooper said.

Since June 2024, the second phase of the program (eDGES2) has delivered 12 peer-reviewed publications and 17 conference presentations. Through this partnership, BHP is supporting practical, science‑based approaches by enabling research focused on generating data that can inform decision-making by industry, government and the scientific community.

More information on the eDGES program can be found here.