SturNet Research Presented at ETAGRO 2025
The Aristotle University team presented SturNet research on environmental DNA, parasite detection, and future monitoring tools for sturgeon population health in the Black Sea Basin.
Conference Participation
The Aristotle University team participated in the 18th International Conference of the Hellenic Association of Agricultural Economists (ETAGRO 2025), held on 10–11 October 2025 in Florina, Greece.
During the conference, the team presented research conducted within the SturNet Project entitled:
"Detection of Trichodina spp. in environmental DNA from the Black Sea basin: Implications for sturgeon population health and monitoring."
The study demonstrated the spatiotemporal detection of the ciliate parasite Trichodina spp. across multiple locations in the Black Sea Basin using a newly developed molecular approach based on environmental DNA (eDNA). This parasite is an ecosystem health indicator.
The results highlight the potential of this method as an effective tool for monitoring the presence of Trichodina spp. in aquatic ecosystems and for supporting improved assessment of sturgeon population health.
Future Research Directions
The presentation also outlined future research directions, including the development of quantitative approaches capable of estimating parasite abundance and identifying areas with zero, low, or high parasite loads across different seasons.
Such advancements could significantly strengthen risk assessment frameworks for sturgeon conservation and management, while improving the ability of researchers and decision-makers to track ecosystem health across the Black Sea Basin.
Advancing eDNA-Based Monitoring for Conservation
This research supports the SturNet mission by strengthening scientific tools for biodiversity monitoring, ecosystem health assessment, and evidence-based conservation of endangered sturgeon species in the Black Sea Basin.
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