Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods in ecology and conservation Course parameters: Language: English Level of course: PhD course (Masters can participate) Time: 9am-5pm 19th – 23rd October 2026 Capacity limits: 25 Course fee: The course is free of charge for Danish PhD students.  PhD students from outside of Denmark will pay a fee of 2000 DKK  ECTS credits: 4 Objectives of the course: Environmental DNA (eDNA) is a powerful and rapidly advancing tool in ecological and conservation research. By analysing genetic material collected directly from environmental samples such as water, soil, sediment, and air, eDNA enables non‑invasive biodiversity monitoring, species detection, and ecosystem assessment across a wide range of environments. The aim of this course is to introduce eDNA based techniques to students in ecology and conservation, giving them an overview of the state of the field and a chance to discuss the degree to which eDNA based methods are the appropriate tool to answer their research questions. This PhD school provides an introductory, interdisciplinary overview of eDNA methods and their applications in ecology, conservation biology, and environmental monitoring, with examples spanning freshwater, marine, terrestrial, airborne, and arctic ecosystems. Key Topics: - Study design and sampling strategies for eDNA - Demonstration of eDNA sampling techniques in the field – water, soil, air! - Overview of Bioinformatics workflows and taxonomic assignment - Applied eDNA for biodiversity monitoring and ecosystem management - Strengths, limitations, and future directions of eDNA approaches The course will comprise lectures, keynote presentations from leading eDNA researchers, practical (literature-based) group-exercises and presentations. Learning outcomes and competences: At the end of the course, the student should be able to: - Describe what eDNA is, how it can be used to answer a range of research questions in ecology and conservation and what the main strengths and weaknesses are. - Describe how eDNA methods are used today, both in research and by government and biomonitoring agencies, across aquatic and terrestrial habitats. - Account for the main methods, barcoding genes, reference platforms, primer pairs and PCR and sequencing technologies that can be used to target different groups of organisms. - At the end of the course, students will have a solid understanding of the molecular workflow and the required analysis choices to successfully plan an eDNA based scientific study. - Ability to judge whether a research question can be answered using eDNA techniques. - Critically evaluate published eDNA research. Prerequisites: None Place: Aarhus University, Risø, Frederiksborgvej 399 4000 Roskilde Denmark Registration: Please fill out the form: Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods in ecology and conservation: https://forms.office.com/Pages/ResponsePage.aspx?id=Nh39Ycv-yke319DfA3ChmBBG7vLeBjRCrm0l2hFSbfVUMkY0RU1FODBRQUFHTEpKMkxQSkpGUEhWUy4u Deadline for registration is 31st August 2026. Information regarding admission will be sent out no later than Friday 4th September. If you have any questions, please contact one of our coordinators: Georgina Brennan (g.brennan@ecos.au.dk) Aoife Leonard (aleonard@ecos.au.dk) Adam Kozoil (adamkoziol@ecos.au.dk) Rumakanta Sapkota (rs@envs.au.dk) (to subscribe/unsubscribe the EvolDir send mail to evoldir@evoldir.net)