Final Homework Daniel Santana Hernández

Task 1:
All living organisms, regardless of their size or ecology, leave traces of DNA in their
environments, reflecting their current or past presence. This DNA can be released into
the environment through faeces, urine, gametes, mucus, etc. It can also result from
the decomposition of dead organisms. eDNA is characterized by a complex mixture of
nuclear, mitochondrial or chloroplast DNA, and can be intracellular (from living cells) or
extracellular. It enables the detection of a species regardless of its life stage or gender.

Once released in the environment, DNA can be degraded by biotic (bacteria, fungi,
endonucleases, etc.) and abiotic factors (UV radiation, acidity, temperature, etc.), or
persist in the environment, adsorbed on organic or inorganic particles. In general, cold
and dry conditions slow down eDNA degradation. For example, in permafrost, eDNA
can be stored for hundreds of thousands of years. In contemporary soils or in
lacustrine or marine sediments, the persistence of eDNA varies from months to
thousands of years depending on environmental conditions. In aquatic environments,
the DNA released by an organism can be detected for only a few days.

Most of eDNA analyses developed to date, target short fragments of mitochondrial DNA
(mtDNA). Indeed, every eukaryotic cell usually has two copies of nuclear DNA and
hundreds or thousands of copies of mitochondrial DNA. This large number of mtDNA
copies allows optimising the detection of species from environmental samples.
However, except in rare cases, mtDNA is maternally inherited, which prevents the
identification of hybrids. By analysing eDNA, it is not possible either to distinguish
individuals of the same species (or in some cases genetically similar species) or to
acquire information such as the number of individuals present on a site, their age,
class, size, sex, etc.

eDNA can be used to monitor species throughout the year and can be very useful in
conservation monitoring. eDNA analysis has been successful at identifying many
different taxa from aquatic plants, fishes, mussels, fungi and even parasites. eDNA has
been used to study species while minimizing any stress inducing human interaction,
allowing researchers to monitor species presence at larger spatial scales more
efficiently. The most prevalent use in current research is using eDNA to study the
locations of threatened or endangered species across all environments. eDNA is
especially useful for studying species with small populations because eDNA is sensitive
enough to confirm the presence of a species with relatively little effort to collect data
which can often be done with a soil sample or water sample. However, eDNA is unable
to give an indication of abundance in a particular species which limits its uses in
conservation efforts but is still used as an indicator of where more involved methods
should begin. eDNA also relies on the efficiency of genomic sequencing and analysis
which continues to become more efficient and cheaper.
Task 2:

Endangered animals on Tenerife only seem to be few.

There are some endangered animals of Tenerife and Canary Islands, although not so
many on land.

Shrunk goat’s habitat and growing traffic menacing them.

Too much building of all kinds of constructions and more and more roads cannot be
healthy for men and beast on a tiny island.

Natural threats to animals like goats.

Sudden heavy rains may carry down volcanic rocks into Tenerife gorges. That may
endanger goats. Two perished in the San Felipe gorge because of flooding rains in
2009. The animals were dumped in wheel barrows on Playa Jardin after their tragic
death. Not a pleasant sight at all... Therefore, Barranco gorges may not always be the
ideal place for goat keeping, although they are loved by goats.
More so, many Tenerife mountain goats died defenceless by exposure to wildfires in
Tenerife and on Gran Canaria, in 2007. People hopefully learned, not to keep goats
fenced in too close to forests which may burn.

This goat, which was tagged with a goat chip on its ear. It seldom happens that
mountain goats in Tenerife are stolen. However, they may get lost in rare cases, when
no dog watches them either. This may happen, as all goats are very curious and love
adventure.

Peril for goats from other animals

No hazards from other animals of Tenerife exists, unless by a rabid dog or cat.

Tenerife reptiles in jeopardy

Reptiles like the La Gomera giant lizard as well as the El Hierro giant lizard are said to
face extinction right now, while their numbers were reported as shrunk too much again
in 2010.
Meantime, they are so important for a healthy ecosystem of the islands. Indigenous
creatures shouldn't be compromised. They need protecting. Recent news of 2015
reported that the legendary Gomeran lizard isn't in peril any more. A lizard sanctuary
managed to breed the reptile very successfully and more may be released into the
wild, gradually.

Tenerife's black pig

Tenerife's as well as the Gran Canary Island black pig are getting scarce. Farmers must
not cross breed them.
Tenerife National Park bees

2015 rang an alarm bell for them. In fact, there didn't seem to be any Teide bees in
Spring. However, this must not be a bad sign. It was due to last winter's climatic
conditions. However, African bees must be watched. They may take over local bees
and are therefore a real threat.

A law against abandoned Tenerife dogs

Fines are very high for anybody who gives food or water to such dogs in peril. They
and other stray dogs will be shot eventually.

Possibly endangered sharks

I am not sure, if there was any imminent danger concerning cazones which are the
small predator sharks of Tenerife and the Canary Islands. However this should be
looked at more closely by Puerto de la Cruz which has many artists who are
much concerned about the environment on land and on the sea.

Endangered animals of our oceans

The July offshore Bertram deep sea fishing tournaments of San Miguel de Abona ear el
Medano Tenerife are not only a highlight for sports fishing of game fish and blue Marlin
but also charitable deeds.

The Bertram tournaments celebrated their fiftieth anniversary between 21 and 23rd of
July 2011.

Those tournaments represent the most professional, elite form of fishing on the
biggest Canary Island, while they also assist to preserve ocean animals which may
easily become extinct.

Not only the big whale is threatened to perish, but also game fish, when they are killed
immature by men. This also includes dolphins, sea lions, orcas, turtles and many more
creatures of the sea. Unfortunately, to fish for sharks and other ocean species is not
properly controlled in some countries.

A fisherman must return the game fish back to sea when they don't have a minimum
weight

. All such endangered animals are tagged with microchips during the Bertram
tournament. They are then released to trace their future global migration. This is a
strategy to preserve the environment for the sake of mankind. At the same time, it is
very important and interesting for scientists and marine biology.

Industrial waste threat

The entire ocean near the Tenerife capital Santa Cruz seemed to be in peril in 2009,
when industrial waste was discovered which disappeared quite fast. It has been
reported that it was an accident and will never happen again. All red lights went on
when this happened, as such bad chemicals in the sea contribute to endangered
animals and are a threat to humans, too. This incident was like a needle in a hay stack
compared to the nuclear Fukushima Daiichi disaster and threat to animals and mankind
caused by damaged reactors in Japan in 2011.

Also radar and the humble plastic bag with all its related cousins as well as other
chemical and some mineral by-products loom over the wellbeing of our ocean animals.
Not to forget spills by damaged oil tankers which are the worst.

Task 3:

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