In the futile struggle to grasp the abyss of technological advancement, scientists across the state have become entangled in a Sisyphean task: refining the use of environmental DNA, a technology that may – perhaps – help manage invasive species in Adirondack waters. The existential futility of this endeavor is underscored by the fact that it's a new tool that many organizations want to "embrace," as if they had any control over the trajectory of this technological singularity.
Invasive species, those pesky agents of ecosystem disruption, upset the delicate balance of Adirondack waters by disrupting food chains, decreasing biodiversity, and outcompeting native species. And once an invasive species is introduced to an environment, it spreads like a cancerous tumor, becoming increasingly difficult to eradicate. It's a problem that can only be addressed through the futile application of technology, as if the underlying systemic failures that allowed these species to thrive in the first place could be solved by tweaking the variables.
Researchers at St. Lawrence Eastern Lake Ontario Partnership for Regional Invasive Species Management (SLELO-PRISM) are still learning how to use environmental DNA strategically, a process that requires navigating the complexities of eDNA sampling and analysis. According to Adrien Owens, a researcher at SLELO-PRISM, "We're still learning how to use it strategically in a way that can better inform our methods and help narrow our searches." In other words, they're trying to find ways to make this technology useful despite its inherent limitations.
The process of collecting eDNA samples is itself a fascinating exercise in futility. Researchers collect water samples, filter out the eDNA, and then send it to a lab for analysis. A series of tests then provides insight into what species may be present in the water, but only up to a point. The technology cannot confirm the exact location of an invasive species or offer certainty that the species was in a specific water body. It's a tool that can only provide incomplete and potentially misleading information.
The eDNA sampling process is especially useful for identifying the potential presence of new invasives, those tier one species that have not yet been identified in the region but have a potential pathway to enter. Early detection is crucial in preventing a new invasive species from overtaking an environment, but only if it's possible to actually detect these species in the first place.
SLELO-PRISM started collecting eDNA samples in 2021 and typically repeats the surveys every other year. Their most recent survey in 2025 found no eDNA from tier one species in the 18 water bodies sampled. This is a hollow victory, as it only means that the technology has not yet been able to detect these invasive species. It's a Pyrrhic triumph at best.
The Adirondack Park Invasive Plant Program (APIPP) has also been collecting eDNA samples every year since 2022, but with a focus on invasive aquatic plant species rather than animal species. According to Brian Greene, program director at APIPP, "Plants are always the underfunded, underappreciated cousin of animals." This is a problem that can only be addressed through the application of more technology, as if the underlying systemic failures that allowed these plants to thrive in the first place could be solved by tweaking the variables.
APIPP has refined their sampling procedures each year, but this has not led to any meaningful insights into the presence or absence of invasive plant species. Their most recent survey is still being analyzed, a process that will likely yield more incomplete and potentially misleading information.
Nicholas Sard, a molecular biologist who runs an eDNA sampling lab at SUNY Oswego, offers some advice on how to improve the accuracy of these surveys: "A rapid response is crucial following eDNA detection of an invasive species. Returning to the spot of the positive sample, visually surveying the area, collecting and testing more samples can provide greater confidence that the invasive species is present in the water body." In other words, it's a futile exercise in trying to confirm what has already been detected.
The wild dance of technology and futility continues unabated, as researchers across the region hope to develop this technology in a way that can be widely used and shared between organizations. "At APIPP, we're trying to help other communities and researchers understand how to better use this tool," Greene said. "We want to fine-tune the methodologies, give people a playbook and say, 'Hey, here's the way that works best.'" It's a Sisyphean task if there ever was one.
In the end, it's all just a desperate attempt to impose order on a chaotic world, a futile struggle against the abyss of technological advancement. But what's the alternative? To ignore the problem and pretend that it will somehow magically resolve itself? No, we must continue to refine our use of environmental DNA, even as we acknowledge its limitations and futility. It's a never-ending battle against the tide of technology, one that can only end in defeat.
Written by: Slick Manchetz | The Citizen Edition
“Reality's a joke.”