Physical Sciences and Mathematics Commons^™

Using Bayesian Networks To Predict Risk To Estuary Water Quality And Patterns Of Benthic Environmental Dna In Queensland, Scarlett E. Graham, Anthony A. Chariton, Wayne G. Landis

Institute of Environmental Toxicology & Chemistry Publications

Predictive modeling can inform natural resource management by representing stressor-response pathways in a logical way and quantifying the effects on selected endpoints. This study demonstrates a risk assessment model using the Bayesian network-relative risk model (BNRRM) approach to predict water quality and; for the first time, eukaryote environmental DNA (eDNA) data as a measure of benthic community structure. Environmental DNA sampling is a technique for biodiversity measurements that involves extracting DNA from environmental samples, amplicon sequencing a targeted gene, in this case the 18s rDNA gene which targets eukaryotes, and matching the sequences to organisms. Using a network of probability …