Super-fast turnaround
2, 5 and 10 day UK turnaround and international delivery options.
Trusted GCN surveys
Proud to have scored 100% proficiency 6 years running.
Competitive pricing
Contact us today to learn more!
We are NatureMetrics
A DNA-based biotechnology company with a reputation for bringing high-quality services to environmental managers.
We have provided our GCN eDNA services since 2015 and have processed thousands of samples for a wide variety of clients. We pride ourselves on quality of service and are very pleased to have achieved a 100% proficiency rating in 2023 for the sixth year in a row.
Your GCN eDNA experience with NatureMetrics
Why choose NatureMetrics as your GCN eDNA lab?
DNA-based biodiversity assessment can inform ecological decision-making at every stage of the project cycle to improve outcomes for biodiversity, and that includes for Great Crested Newt surveys
100 % Proficiency: Strict adherence to the Natural England protocols for GCN eDNA.
An efficient service: Order by 11 am for next day delivery. Results released on time and as quickly as possible, even if this is before your chosen turnaround time.
State-of-the-art eDNA facilities that will process your samples to the highest quality.
A partner that goes the extra mile for you. We understand the timely challenges associated with GCN sampling and in the past have hand-delivered kits all over the country when couriers were unable to assist.
Sampling App: The NatureMetrics sampling App lets you collect and submit field data on the go.
Robust quality controls performed throughout the process, exceeding the basic quality checks that are required by the Natural England GCN protocol.
Flexibility: no need to book an analysis slot for your samples, we have the capacity to process your samples whenever they arrive.
Expert guidance throughout all stages of your project cycle.
Compatibility: We work with you to make sure invoicing is compatible with your internal systems.
Your questions about GCN eDNA monitoring answered
1. 100 % GCN eDNA proficiency scores for 5 years running
Natural England will only accept GCN eDNA results from laboratories that have passed an annual proficiency test, where laboratories are required to correctly identify ‘blind’ samples as positive, negative or inconclusive.
NatureMetrics are proud to have scored 100% proficiency for five years running, including in 2022, for our GCN eDNA service which we have provided since 2015.
We follow Natural England’s approved protocol (WC1067), ensuring our tests meet regulatory requirements. We offer standard (10 working days), fast (5 working days) or super-fast (2 working days) turnaround to accommodate all timeframes and budgets.
Our user-friendly GCN eDNA service includes your iDNAture Great Crested Newt eDNA Kits and convenient tracking of orders with my.naturemetrics. To adhere to the WC1067 protocol, field sampling must be carried out by a licensed great crested newt surveyor if the results will be used for planning and licence applications.
2. Convenience at every step
- Our NatureMetrics app lets you collect and submit your field data on the go.
- We offer next-day UK delivery for orders placed by midday.
- We get results to you on time, even going above and beyond the regular service.
- Whether it is last minute kits or super-fast turnaround, we will do our very best to meet your needs this GCN season.
3. World-leading eDNA facilities
We have dedicated, ultra-clean laboratories for DNA extraction and qPCR analysis to guard against contamination.
NatureMetrics are a leader in eDNA research and standardisation. In addition to GCN eDNA surveys, we analyse a range of samples (water, soil, faeces, and invertebrates) for other priority species or whole communities. Some of this work has been published in peer-reviewed journals or as technical reports. We can design bespoke sampling strategies for your species or community of interest and offer training in eDNA sampling.
Legal protection was afforded to the GCN at all life stages in response to ongoing declines, primarily due to habitat loss and degradation. Legislation states it is an offence to kill, injure, or take great crested newt individuals. Disturbance is prohibited, and breeding sites and hibernacula are protected. As a protected species, developers are required to survey for GCN and if found, mitigation must be proposed for GCN and their habitat in order to obtain a mitigation licence from the relevant government regulatory agency (e.g. Natural England, NatureScot, Natural Resources Wales) before proceeding with development. Mitigation may relate to methods or timings of work and installation of mitigation strategies.
GCN are listed as an European Protected Species under the Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (2017). There are also protected under Schedule 5 of the Wildlife and Countryside Act (1981) and as a rare and most threatened species under Section 41 of the Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006) (NERC).
GCN and other protected species are likely to be impacted by development work, including but not limited to; pond maintenance or infilling, building demolition, changes to land use, wind turbines, removal of trees/hedgerows, and road building or maintenance. GCN surveys become more important where land has favourable features for GCN, such as a waterbody within 500 metres, damp patches or bogs, nearby woodland, hedgerows, trees, unmanaged grass and moss. GCN surveys will likely be needed for changes to ancient woodland, large land with good growth, land with damp mossy areas, land with unmanaged grass, hedgerows or trees, and land close to a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) or local nature reserve. A GCN survey will also be needed if there are historical records of newts on the land or close to the land proposed for development.
You will need a mitigation plan and licence from Natural England to show how you will avoid, reduce or manage any negative effects to GCN in order to continue building.
Development can have a large impact on GCN. Without performing GCN surveys, you could be breaking the law and incur an unlimited fine or be given a prison sentence of up to 6 months for each offence.
GCN are strictly protected by British and European law at all life stages which makes it an offence to kill, injure, capture or disturb them, damage or destroy their habitat, and to possess, sell or trade them.
GCN are fully protected by UK and European legislation. GCN are listed as a European Protected Species under Conservation of Habitats and Species Regulations (2017). UK legislation protecting GCN includes the Wildlife & Countryside Act (as Amended) 1981: Schedule 5, the EC Habitats Directive 1992: annex 11 and 1V, the Conservation (Natural Habitats etc.) Regulations 1994: Schedule 2, and the Countryside Rights of Way Act 2000 (CRoW 2000). GCN are also listed as a rare and most threatened species under Section 41 of Natural Environment and Rural Communities Act (2006).
If a newt or evidence of newt habitat is found before development has begun, you will need to ensure minimal detrimental impact to the GCN habitat, shelter, breeding or resting site and potentially produce a mitigation scheme. If GCN are discovered after development has commenced, all works should stop until GCN surveys have been performed and appropriate measures have been taken to protect the newts on site. Speak to an ecological consultant to discuss your development plans, the surveys required and mitigation measures.
GCN are typically monitored using a combination of torchlight surveys, bottle trapping, egg searches and netting. Many of these activities will require a licence as they involve disturbance or capture of GCN. Four site visits using three of these methods must be undertaken, with at least two visits during mid-April to mid-May to determine presence/likely absence. If GCN are found to be a present during these surveys a further two visits using three methods must be undertaken to establish the relative abundance or population size.. eDNA analysis is a non-invasive, time-efficient and cost-effective alternative that can be used by both professionals and volunteers. This involves the capture and analysis of DNA left behind by GCN in the water column (e.g. mucus, skin cells, eggs, faeces). eDNA survey only requires a single visit to determine GCN presence/likely absence, but cannot be used to provide estimates of relative abundance.
Conventional GCN surveys can range from between £300 – £1000 depending on ecologist fees, location of the development, and size or complexity of the site. The NatureMetrics GCN eDNA service (including kit and analysis) ranges from £160 to £300 (exc. VAT) per sample depending on turnaround time selected. GCN eDNA Kits alone cost £35 (exc. VAT).
In a comparison of eDNA analysis and conventional methods for GCN survey by professionals across 35 ponds, eDNA analysis achieved a detection rate of 99.3% (139 of 140 samples) compared to bottle trapping (76%), torchlight counts (75%) and egg searches (44%) or torchlight surveys and bottle trapping combined (95%). Across 239 ponds known to support GCN that were sampled for eDNA by volunteers, eDNA analysis achieved a detection rate of 91.3%. For more details, see Biggs et al. (2014).
A mitigation licence permits actions that are prohibited under current legislation for GCN. If survey information and specialist knowledge indicate that the proposed activity is likely to result in an offence (i.e. killing, damage to breeding sites etc.), then a mitigation licence should be obtained.
You can obtain a mitigation licence by contacting a licensed ecologist who will survey your site and surrounding ponds to inform the mitigation licence and complete an application form, method statement, work schedule and where necessary a reasoned statement on your behalf. This should be submitted to Natural England who will evaluate the documents and issue the mitigation licence. The mitigation licence lawfully permits activities to proceed which would otherwise be unlawful.
The GCN season runs from mid-March to mid-June, but eDNA surveys can only be performed from 15th April to 30th June inclusively.
We have assessed the efficacy of filtration versus precipitation methods and shown (in common with other researchers, e.g. Spens et al. 2016) that detection probabilities are higher using filtration. This is likely because the standard GCN eDNA Kits only process 90 ml of water, while our Aquatic eDNA Kits that use filters have been designed to deal with the high turbidity of ponds and typically process an order of magnitude more water. Filters pose less logistical challenges because they do not involve ethanol, are easier to process in the laboratory, and are much less susceptible to contamination. Unfortunately, a move to filtration is not up to us, but the evidence has been made available to Natural England along with contact details of independent scientists who they can consult. We hope that results derived from these kits may be accepted in coming years.
eDNA technology is very sensitive and theoretically there is potential for this type of environmental contamination. However, we would expect that this is very rare. When clients have speculated to us that they believe this may explain a surprising positive result, subsequent surveys have usually confirmed GCN presence.
For ponds, a single kit is usually enough as long as subsamples have been merged from around the perimeter of the pond.
As the size of the waterbody increases, so should your sampling effort.
The precise number of samples will usually be a trade-off between your budget and the amount of spatial resolution you need or the importance of detecting rare species.
For most lakes, 5-10 samples are sufficient, given appropriate merging of subsamples but you may want to take more if you are targeting rare species. In rivers and streams, it depends on the size and flow rate of the waterbody and the area that you need to survey.
We are always happy to advise on sampling design for specific projects.
NatureMetrics has an online ordering portal that enables you to easily place your orders, track their progress and view the results of all your projects.
To set up an account, simply email gcn@naturemetrics.co.uk and we will get your account set up.
If you are an existing customer and have forgotten your login details, just go to the portal and click on ‘forgot password’.
Orders placed by midday will be eligible for next-day UK delivery.
Once we have dispatched your kits, we will send you an invoice with 30-day payment terms. If you have a PO, please add this to the appropriate field when placing your order.
We offer three different turnaround times for GCN testing: standard (10 working days), fast (5 working days), and super-fast (2 working days). We begin to process the samples as soon as they are received by our lab team but, as we cannot control the delivery time, analysis begins the day after samples are delivered to the lab.
Natural England states that you should use “…one kit per pond up to an area of 1 hectare. Beyond this, use an additional kit per hectare”. For example, two kits should be used for a pond between 1-2 hectares in size, and each kit should be used to sample one half of the pond in accordance with the Natural England protocol (i.e. one kit used to collect 20 subsamples from one half of the pond, and the other kit used to collect 20 subsamples from the other half of the pond).
Natural England states that samples should be taken between 15th April and 30th June.
Collection of Great Crested Newt eDNA Kits is included in the service price and a member of our team will book the collection on the date you chose when you placed your order. Once booked, it is vital that you follow the shipping instructions given with your order to ensure you are complying with shipping regulations. Please bear in mind that we do not arrange collections for Fridays in order to avoid samples being held in a depot over the weekend in an uncontrolled temperature environment.
Following Natural England approved protocols, NatureMetrics Great Crested Newt eDNA Kits have a shelf life of 3 months, meaning you can store your kits for most of the GCN season before use. Kits can be stored at ambient temperature before use.
Simply email gcn@naturemetrics.co.uk with the kit ID, project name and new date.
Our Great Crested Newt eDNA Kits have a shelf life of 3 months. Kits can be stored at ambient temperature after use if couriered on the day of collection. If samples are stored overnight (or longer) before shipping, they should be refrigerated at 2-4°C. Samples can be stored for up to 1 month in the refrigerator before analysis but should not be frozen. We advise that samples are returned to our lab as soon as possible after collection.
You can move an unused kit to another project. Simply email gcn@naturemetrics.co.uk with the kit ID and which projects you are moving from and to.
Following analysis, NatureMetrics will send you a report through the order portal that summarises the results and provides you with the relevant information on methods used and quality control.
Inconclusive results may arise because DNA is degraded or samples are inhibited. DNA degradation is a process by which DNA has been damaged to the point that it cannot be amplified and subsequently detected. The use of preservatives in our kits minimises the risk of DNA damage, but inappropriate storage conditions may still lead to DNA degradation. PCR inhibition occurs when compounds present in the sample (e.g. acids) interfere with the qPCR reaction at a molecular level, preventing or reducing target DNA amplification and subsequent detection. Inhibitors may interact directly with target DNA, or interfere with the enzyme that drives the PCR reaction.
A synthetic control is included in kits to test for degradation, and a synthetic control added to samples after DNA extraction to test for inhibition. A qPCR assay specific to each control is used to test the original DNA extract. If the signal from either synthetic control is lower than expected or absent, then degradation and/or inhibition are present. If degradation is identified, there is no way to resolve this and the sample will be reported as inconclusive. If inhibition is identified, the sample is diluted twice prior to testing for GCN presence in accordance with the Natural England protocol. If dilution fails to resolve inhibition, then the sample will be reported as inconclusive.
Ponds with an inconclusive result should be resampled, adhering strictly to the Natural England protocol, and new samples returned to the lab for analysis as soon as possible.
eDNA is typically detectable for several days from when the organism leaves behind the biological material. eDNA has been reported to last for up to 300 hours in aquatic systems, but there is no definitive answer for this yet. The degradation of DNA is slowest when it is cold, dark, or when the DNA is bound to sediment.
Ideally, sampling equipment should be ordered sterile and be individually wrapped and single-use to minimise the risk of introducing contaminant DNA from sampling equipment to environmental samples. Sampling kits purchased from NatureMetrics only contain sterile, single-use components. We are continually striving to reduce plastics in our kits and actively promote recycling. If any equipment must be decontaminated and reused (note that no equipment for GCN eDNA survey should be reused between sites apart from surveyor PPE), then bleach sterilisation is the accepted method.
Bleach must be purchased at a stock concentration of 3-6% sodium hypochlorite (higher is better) from a supermarket, cleaning service or laboratory supplier. The stock bleach should be diluted 1:10 with purified or deionised water (e.g. 1 L of stock bleach to 9 L of purified water). Where purified water is unavailable, mineral water purchased from a supermarket should be used. This dilution creates a 10% bleach solution. You should submerge non-metal and non-electrical equipment in the 10% bleach solution for at least 10 minutes but ideally 3 hours or overnight. After this time, remove equipment from bleach and thoroughly rinse (at least 3 times) with purified or deionised water. After rinsing, place equipment on fresh paper towel and leave to dry overnight. Metal equipment should be submerged for 5 minutes before rinsing and drying overnight. Surfaces of electrical equipment should only be wiped with 10% bleach, followed by 70% ethanol.
NatureMetrics has strict policies and procedures in place to minimise any risk of contamination. Our staff undergo rigorous training prior to GCN season and we routinely run quality checks with every test to ensure the risk of contamination is minimised. Extraction is performed in a dedicated laboratory for GCN samples and separate to where qPCR is carried out.
While GCN samples could be analysed for other species, this is not recommended due to the small volume of water processed (90 ml) which limits the amount of eDNA that can be captured and will likely result in lower detection rates. Instead, we recommend collecting a larger sample (up to 3 L) and filtering the water using our Aquatic eDNA Kits. Email eDNA-lab@naturemetrics.co.uk for more information on these kits and available analyses.
This is the number of qPCR replicates that successfully amplified GCN eDNA. A total of 12 replicates are performed on each sample during qPCR. A low score can be interpreted as a sample containing a low amount of GCN eDNA, whereas a high score can be interpreted as a sample containing a high amount of GCN eDNA. Samples with a score of 1 are still classed as positive for GCN in accordance with the Natural England protocol, but we would recommend that these ponds are resurveyed for GCN using conventional survey or eDNA survey to confirm species presence. Note that a negative result does not preclude the presence of GCN eDNA at a concentration below that which can be detected with qPCR. If GCN individuals are present in low abundance, they may not be shedding enough DNA into the water column to enable it to be captured and amplified.
- 2 x pairs of nitrile gloves
- 1 x 1.6 L sampling bag
- 1 x ladle dipper (30 mL)
- 1 x plastic pipette
- 6 x 50 mL tubes containing 35 mL of ethanol and preservative inside cardboard box with insert
- 1 x resealable bag
- 1 x sampling datasheet
Environmental DNA (eDNA) is DNA that has been left behind by organisms in their environment in the form of skin cells, hair, mucus, faeces, urine, blood, saliva, gametes, and deceased remains. eDNA accumulates in water, sediment, soil and air, but persists for different times in these environments. eDNA can persist for hours to weeks in water compared to months to years in sediment. eDNA can be captured from environmental samples and used to survey single species or whole communities.
Natural England states that you should use “…one kit per pond up to an area of 1 hectare. Beyond this, use an additional kit per hectare”. For example, two kits should be used for a pond between 1-2 hectares in size, and each kit should be used to sample one half of the pond in accordance with the Natural England protocol (i.e. one kit used to collect 20 subsamples from one half of the pond, and the other kit used to collect 20 subsamples from the other half of the pond).
Although water samples can be collected outside the GCN season and analysed for GCN, the results cannot be used for planning or licence applications.
Detailed instructions for sample collection are available to download from our website, which follow the steps stated in the WC1067 Technical Advice Note. Detailed instructions are also available on the NatureMetrics app, and a simplified pictorial protocol is provided with our GCN eDNA Kit.
Unused kits and their analysis are non-refundable. Unused kits can be returned to NatureMetrics to safely dispose of chemicals.
NatureMetrics has an online ordering portal that enables you to easily place your orders, track their progress and view the results of all your projects.
If GCN are in low abundance, they may not be shedding enough DNA into the water column to enable it to be captured and amplified. Alternatively, if a pond has greater habitat complexity, then higher sampling effort may be required than what is stated in the Natural England protocol. Dilution is the prescribed strategy to resolve inhibition when identified in samples to dilute inhibitors present in the sample. However, any target DNA present will also be diluted, possibly to concentrations too low to be detected.
Several scientific studies using eDNA analysis for GCN have been published, including:
Rees, H.C., Bishop, K., Middleditch, D.J., Patmore, J.R.M., Maddison, B.C. & Gough, K.C. (2014) The application of eDNA for monitoring of the Great Crested Newt in the UK. Ecology and Evolution, 4, 4023–4032. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.1272
Biggs, J., Ewald, N., Valentini, A., Gaboriaud, C. & Griffiths, R.A. (2014) Analytical and methodological development for improved surveillance of the Great Crested Newt. Defra Project WC1067.
Biggs, J., Ewald, N., Valentini, A., Gaboriaud, C., Dejean, T., Griffiths, R.A., Foster, J., Wilkinson, J.W., Arnell, A., Brotherton, P., Williams, P. & Dunn, F. (2015) Using eDNA to develop a national citizen science-based monitoring programme for the great crested newt (Triturus cristatus). Biological Conservation, 183, 19–28. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biocon.2014.11.029
Rees, H.C., Baker, C.A., Gardner, D.S., Maddison, B.C. & Gough, K.C. (2017) The detection of great crested newts year round via environmental DNA analysis. BMC Research Notes, 10, 327. https://doi.org/10.1186/s13104-017-2657-y
Buxton, A.S., Groombridge, J.J. & Griffiths, R.A. (2017a) Is the detection of aquatic environmental DNA influenced by substrate type? PLoS ONE, 12, e0183371. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0183371
Buxton, A.S., Groombridge, J.J., Zakaria, N.B. & Griffiths, R.A. (2017b) Seasonal variation in environmental DNA in relation to population size and environmental factors. Scientific Reports, 7, 46294. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep46294
Buxton, A., Groombridge, J. & Griffiths, R. (2018a) Comparison of Two Citizen Scientist Methods for Collecting Pond Water Samples for Environmental DNA Studies. Citizen Science: Theory and Practice, 3. http://doi.org/10.5334/cstp.151
Buxton, A.S., Groombridge, J.J. & Griffiths, R.A. (2018b) Seasonal variation in environmental DNA detection in sediment and water samples. PLoS ONE, 13, e0191737. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0191737
Griffin, J.E., Matechou, E., Buxton, A.S., Bormpoudakis, D. & Griffiths, R.A. (2019) Modelling environmental DNA data; Bayesian variable selection accounting for false positive and false negative errors. Journal of the Royal Statistical Society: Applied Statistics Series C, 93, 372. https://doi.org/10.1111/rssc.12390
Buxton, A.S. (2021) How reliable is the habitat suitability index as a predictor of great crested newt presence or absence? The Herpetological Journal, 111–117. https://doi.org/10.33256/31.2.111117
Buxton, A., Matechou, E., Griffin, J., Diana, A. & Griffiths, R.A. (2021) Optimising sampling and analysis protocols in environmental DNA studies. Scientific Reports, 11, 11637. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-021-91166-7
Buxton, A., Diana, A., Matechou, E., Griffin, J. & Griffiths, R.A. (2022) Reliability of environmental DNA surveys to detect pond occupancy by newts at a national scale. Scientific Reports, 12, 1295. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-05442-1
What others are saying about our GCN services
“IES Consulting was contracted at very short notice to undertake eDNA testing on three sites in South Gloucestershire. We were right up against the end of the water sampling season, and Nature Metrics pulled out all the stops to make sure we had the test kits in time, including sending out new kits on a same day delivery when the original courier failed to deliver as promised. The customer service was exceptional, and the turn around times for the results was swift. They really pulled out all the stops to make sure we didn’t miss the end of the survey window. I have no hesitation in recommending them to all our clients, and we will be using Nature Metrics again”
– Tilly Tilbrook MSc CEcol MCIEEM, Director, IES Consulting
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