Environmental DNA enables rapid detection of invasive coypu and complements camera trapping

Abstract

Effective management of invasive species requires surveillance methods that reliably detect populations while minimizing field effort. Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a potentially rapid alternative to conventional monitoring, but direct comparisons with other non-invasive methods remain limited for invasive mammals. Here, we compared eDNA water sampling and camera trapping for detecting established populations of coypu (Myocastor coypus), an invasive semi-aquatic rodent. Using replicated data collected across Mediterranean river systems in southern France, we estimated detection probabilities conditional on coypu presence using Bayesian generalized linear mixed models and quantified the sampling effort required to achieve high cumulative detection probability. Detection probability was 93.0% (95% credible interval: 72.1-98.9%) for a single eDNA water sample, compared with 52.8% (22.6-91.1%) for 30 camera-trap days, with a 96.9% posterior probability that eDNA detection was higher. Two eDNA samples were sufficient to achieve a median cumulative detection probability above 95%, compared with four 30-day camera-trapping periods. Detection also varied at different spatial scales, with camera-trap detectability being heterogeneous among local camera locations and eDNA detectability varying more among catchments. These results show that eDNA provides a rapid and reliable approach for confirming the presence of established coypu populations, while camera traps provide complementary information on activity, behaviour and habitat use. Combining rapid eDNA screening with targeted camera trapping may therefore provide an efficient surveillance strategy for invasive semi-aquatic mammals.

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BibTeX RIS

BibTeX

@misc{ballester2026environmental,
  title = {{Environmental DNA enables rapid detection of invasive coypu and complements camera trapping}},
  author = {C. Ballester and S. Lacombe and S. Devillard and L. D'Hollande and Y. Raulet and V. Sablain and G. Didier and R. Mathevet and C. Miaud and C. Oyon and S. Richarte and S. Rouviere and A. Valentini and N. Vazzoler and O. Gimenez},
  howpublished = {bioRxiv},
  year = {2026},
  month = sep,
  doi = {10.64898/2026.09.11.749317},
  url = {https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.11.749317v1},
  note = {CC BY},
}

RIS

TY  - UNPB
TI  - Environmental DNA enables rapid detection of invasive coypu and complements camera trapping
AU  - C. Ballester
AU  - S. Lacombe
AU  - S. Devillard
AU  - L. D'Hollande
AU  - Y. Raulet
AU  - V. Sablain
AU  - G. Didier
AU  - R. Mathevet
AU  - C. Miaud
AU  - C. Oyon
AU  - S. Richarte
AU  - S. Rouviere
AU  - A. Valentini
AU  - N. Vazzoler
AU  - O. Gimenez
PY  - 2026
DA  - 2026/09/11
PB  - bioRxiv
DO  - 10.64898/2026.09.11.749317
UR  - https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.64898/2026.09.11.749317v1
AB  - Effective management of invasive species requires surveillance methods that reliably detect populations while minimizing field effort. Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a potentially rapid alternative to conventional monitoring, but direct comparisons with other non-invasive methods remain limited for invasive mammals. Here, we compared eDNA water sampling and camera trapping for detecting established populations of coypu (Myocastor coypus), an invasive semi-aquatic rodent. Using replicated data collected across Mediterranean river systems in southern France, we estimated detection probabilities conditional on coypu presence using Bayesian generalized linear mixed models and quantified the sampling effort required to achieve high cumulative detection probability. Detection probability was 93.0% (95% credible interval: 72.1-98.9%) for a single eDNA water sample, compared with 52.8% (22.6-91.1%) for 30 camera-trap days, with a 96.9% posterior probability that eDNA detection was higher. Two eDNA samples were sufficient to achieve a median cumulative detection probability above 95%, compared with four 30-day camera-trapping periods. Detection also varied at different spatial scales, with camera-trap detectability being heterogeneous among local camera locations and eDNA detectability varying more among catchments. These results show that eDNA provides a rapid and reliable approach for confirming the presence of established coypu populations, while camera traps provide complementary information on activity, behaviour and habitat use. Combining rapid eDNA screening with targeted camera trapping may therefore provide an efficient surveillance strategy for invasive semi-aquatic mammals.
ER  -

Abstract

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