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      • HARVEST
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      A CREDIBILITY, RELEVANCE AND LEGITIMACY FRAMEWORK ANALYSIS OF ENVIRONMENTAL DNA FROM THE POINT OF VIEW OF POTENTIAL END-USERS

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      MONTALVERNEBRETZGIOVANINI-THESIS-2022.pdf (1.295Mb)
      Date
      2022-01-04
      Author
      Mont'Alverne Bretz Giovanini, Renata
      ORCID
      0000-0002-2243-223X
      Type
      Thesis
      Degree Level
      Masters
      Metadata
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      Abstract
      As threats to natural resources multiply, the need for effective science-policy interfaces (SPIs) that account for the incorporation of ecological and social issues into decision-making is increasing. A feasible solution to successfully accomplish fast and reliable environmental information is to make use of advanced technologies, such as sampling genetic material shed by organisms into the surrounding environment, also known as environmental DNA (eDNA). While there are many studies on the scientific and technical aspects of eDNA, not much attention has been paid to users’ and decision-makers’ perspectives on eDNA and their implication in aquatic environmental monitoring and assessment. Aiming to verify if the eDNA tool and data generated by its use could make its way into decision- and policy-making, I conducted semi-structured interviews with potential end-users and stakeholders, and reviewed some Acts and Regulations, in order to better understand how eDNA is perceived and accepted. Results were interpreted and discussed using the credibility, relevance and legitimacy (CRELE) framework, as the balance among those criteria is seen as key to effective SPIs. Analysis demonstrated that eDNA is already seen as a relevant tool in inventory-monitoring studies, especially for preliminary assessments and targeted monitoring, but it would be applied as an addition to current techniques and programs, instead of a replacement option. The main challenges for eDNA relate to its resolution, its validity and its users. Although current legislation presents more opportunities than challenges for eDNA incorporation, better reproducibility and repeatability are necessary for strengthening eDNA’s credibility and legitimacy. Hence, through a combination of social perceptions, regulatory information and ecological knowledge, this study enhanced scientists and decision-makers knowledge about the tool, facilitating the identification of relevant points to be addressed towards an improved SPI.
      Degree
      Master of Environment and Sustainability (M.E.S.)
      Department
      School of Environment and Sustainability
      Program
      Environment and Sustainability
      Supervisor
      Jardine, Timothy; Noble, Bram
      Committee
      Blakley, Jill; Ban, Natalie; Poelzer, Greg
      Copyright Date
      June 2022
      URI
      https://hdl.handle.net/10388/13754
      Subject
      Science-policy interface
      Environmental DNA
      Credibility
      Relevance
      Legitimacy
      CRELE
      End-users
      Perceptions
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      • Graduate Theses and Dissertations
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