Air and water environmental DNA enable detection of a large terrestrial bird: a case study of the southern cassowary ( Casuarius casuarius )

Air and water environmental DNA enable detection of a large terrestrial bird: a case study of the southern cassowary (Casuarius casuarius) | Authorea try { document.documentElement.classList.add('js'); } catch (e) { } var _gaq = _gaq || []; _gaq.push(['_setAccount', 'G-8VDV14Y67G']); _gaq.push(['_trackPageview']); (function() { var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true; ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js'; var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s); })(); Skip to main content Preprints Collections Wiley Open Research IET Open Research Ecological Society of Japan All Collections About About Authorea FAQs Contact Us Quick Search anywhere Search for preprint articles, keywords, etc. Search Search ADVANCED SEARCH SCROLL Ecology and Evolution This is a preprint and has not been peer reviewed. Data may be preliminary. 12 May 2026 V1 Latest version Share on Air and water environmental DNA enable detection of a large terrestrial bird: a case study of the southern cassowary ( Casuarius casuarius ) Authors : Peta Hill 0000-0002-6190-6426 [email protected] , Simon Booth [email protected] , Daniel Guymer [email protected] , Ariella Matthews [email protected] , Dinouk Perera [email protected] , Matt Brien [email protected] , and Elise Furlan 0000-0002-1642-9819 [email protected] [email protected] Authors Info & Affiliations https://doi.org/10.22541/authorea.15003118/v1 20 views 12 downloads Contents Abstract Supplementary Material Information & Authors Metrics & Citations View Options References Figures Tables Media Share Abstract The southern cassowary, Casuarius casuarius, is a large bodied terrestrial frugivore that plays a critical role in tropical rainforest ecosystems but can be challenging to locate and survey using traditional methods. Across much of its range, populations are threatened by habitat loss, fragmentation, and other anthropogenic pressures, and key aspects of distribution and movement remain poorly understood. Environmental DNA (eDNA) offers a non-invasive approach to monitoring elusive species, yet applications for large, mobile terrestrial vertebrates—particularly using air as a sampling medium—remain limited. Here, we develop and validate a highly sensitive, species-specific eDNA assay to detect the southern cassowary and evaluate its performance using both air and water samples collected in captivity and in the field at sites of known presence. Cassowaries represent a biologically challenging test case for eDNA detection due to their mobility, low local densities, and terrestrial ecology. Despite this, we demonstrate that eDNA from both air and water sources provides a practical, non-invasive tool to monitor this keystone rainforest species across landscapes where traditional surveys are logistically constrained. Importantly, this approach provides a scalable method for rapidly assessing cassowary presence, supporting landscape-scale conservation planning and management. Our results highlight the potential of airborne eDNA for detecting large terrestrial vertebrates, with broader implications for biodiversity monitoring. Supplementary Material File (supportinginformation.docx) supportinginformation Download 772.83 KB Information & Authors Information Version history V1 Version 1 12 May 2026 Collection Ecology and Evolution Authors Affiliations Peta Hill 0000-0002-6190-6426 [email protected] University of Canberra Institute for Applied Ecology, Bruce, Australia, 2617 View all articles by this author Simon Booth [email protected] University of Canberra Institute for Applied Ecology, Bruce, Australia, 2617 View all articles by this author Daniel Guymer [email protected] University of Canberra Institute for Applied Ecology, Bruce, Australia, 2617 View all articles by this author Ariella Matthews [email protected] University of Canberra Institute for Applied Ecology, Bruce, Australia, 2617 View all articles by this author Dinouk Perera [email protected] University of Canberra Institute for Applied Ecology, Bruce, Australia, 2617 View all articles by this author Matt Brien [email protected] University of Canberra Institute for Applied Ecology, Bruce, Australia, 2617 View all articles by this author Elise Furlan 0000-0002-1642-9819 [email protected] [email protected] University of Canberra Institute for Applied Ecology, Bruce, Australia, 2617 View all articles by this author Metrics & Citations Metrics Article Usage 20 views 12 downloads .FvxKWukQNSOunydq8rnd { width: 100px; } Citations Download citation Peta Hill, Simon Booth, Daniel Guymer, et al. Air and water environmental DNA enable detection of a large terrestrial bird: a case study of the southern cassowary ( Casuarius casuarius ). Authorea . 12 May 2026. DOI: https://doi.org/10.22541/authorea.15003118/v1 If you have the appropriate software installed, you can download article citation data to the citation manager of your choice. Simply select your manager software from the list below and click Download. For more information or tips please see 'Downloading to a citation manager' in the Help menu . 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