Published on: 2026-10-14
Source: Moscow Government – Government of Moscow –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
Since 2025, a project on studying environmental DNA (eDNA) in parks and specially protected green areas (SPGAs) has been operating in Moscow. The research is conducted by specialists from the A.N. Severtsov Institute of Ecology and Evolution Problems of the Russian Academy of Sciences (IEEP RAS) together with the Moscow By the Department of Environmental Management.
Thanks to DNA analysis, it was possible to detect many more organisms than can be identified under a microscope. The project’s peculiarity is that it takes place in a metropolis with a population of over 13 million people, rather than in a nature reserve. In the first year, researchers worked in 12 protected areas: they studied water and soil samples, searched for genes of antibiotic-resistant bacteria, and created a genomic database.
“The main outcome of the project is a functioning system of genetic monitoring of urban ecosystems. Since 2025, together with the IPEE RAS, we have been analyzing environmental DNA in parks and specially protected natural areas: in the first year, we covered 12 protected territories, and in the Moscow part of Losiny Ostrov alone identified more than 1,600 species of microscopic eukaryotes — unicellular algae, protozoa, microscopic fungi, 276 species of microalgae in the water and 157 on tree bark,” noted Yulia Urozhayeva, the project leader
Department of Natural Resources Use and Environmental Protection.
17 new locations and 15 bodies of water
In 2026, the environmental DNA study project expanded: researchers focused on water bodies. Samples were taken from 15 bodies of water in Losiny Ostrov and at 17 sites in Kuskovo, Pokrovskoe-Streshnevo, and Tsaritsyno. All of them are tied to precise coordinates and will become permanent monitoring stations.
The field stage has already been completed, now laboratory work is underway: the water has been filtered, DNA extracted, thousands of libraries have been prepared for sequencing. The data is being mapped onto a unified map, with the first results expected in the coming months.
The genomic database accumulated since 2025 will become the basis for developing and validating models for predicting the flowering of water bodies. In the future, the methodology can be applied to other specially protected natural areas and water bodies, as well as for soil and air analysis not only in Moscow but also in other cities and regions.
An important feature of the project is the coordinated work of geneticists with zoologists and hydrobiologists. At the same stations where water is taken for DNA analysis, specialists in plankton, benthic invertebrates, and fish collect material for classical surveys. Any genetic finding can be cross-verified with microscopic data, and every discrepancy carefully checked. In this way, the methodology is tested under real conditions of urban water bodies.
Scientists use several technologies. Metabarcoding is the reading of short gene segments, a kind of barcode. Sequencing on the PacBio platform allows obtaining long and very accurate sequences, which often improves taxonomic resolution. Shotgun metagenomics reads all the DNA from the sample: this way one can learn not only who lives in the body of water but also what functions the microbial community performs.
The accuracy of the methods depends on the reference database, so since 2025 researchers have been collecting their own genomic database: thousands of complete genomes and transcriptomes of microorganisms and invasive species, as well as data on antibiotic resistance genes linked to specific points on the map.
From flowering to alien species: what tasks analysis solves
The collected data already allows solving practical problems. One of the most important is the blooming and overgrowth of water bodies. Genetic analysis helps detect changes in the abundance of cyanobacteria and algae before visible signs of blooming appear. Together with hydrochemical and hydrobiological indicators, this information can be used to assess and subsequently validate the risk of blooming.
The second task is the early detection of invasive species: the ruffe, American crayfish, dreissenids, and others.
The third is a sanitary analysis. The search for genes that provide bacteria resistance to antibiotics, including carbapenems, helps distinguish domestic contamination from bird and dog droppings. Changes in the composition of the microbial community can serve as one of the biological indicators of possible oil contamination.
Abroad, environmental DNA is also actively used, but there each program typically addresses a single task. The Moscow approach is different: one sample allows simultaneous characterization of biodiversity, detection of alien species, assessment of the risk of water blooms, and analysis of individual sanitary-ecological indicators. The method is already being compared with approaches from partners — the University of Hong Kong and Yunnan University in China.
Over two years of the project, an impressive amount of scientific experience has been accumulated: thousands of genomes and transcriptomes, hundreds of sequencing libraries, data on antibiotic resistance genes linked to a map, and a sample archive. This material will open the way for fundamental research — from the patterns of community formation of organisms in a megacity to evolutionary processes in microorganisms under urban conditions.
A large-scale project is presented on the mos.ru portal special project, dedicated to the development of key areas of Moscow. These include transport, industry, healthcare, education, sports, and the construction sector. The special project helps to learn how the capital has changed in recent years, which initiatives aimed at making the lives of residents even more comfortable are currently being implemented, and what awaits Moscow and its inhabitants in the near future.
On the project page “Ecology” You can learn about how the capital is renewing its green spaces and expanding environmental education, as well as preparing to make eco-friendly solutions a part of everyday life.
Get the main news promptly on the official channels of the city of Moscow in messengers “Max” and “Telegram”.
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