Environmental DNA reflects differences in freshwater habitat use between two Pacific salmonids at fine temporal scales

Environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a powerful tool to detect aquatic species, providing a non-invasive survey option for applications in freshwater fisheries, including delineating habitat use and informing stock management strategies. For species like salmonids with life stage-specific habitat requirements and timing, effective use of eDNA for species detection at fine spatial and temporal scales is contingent upon a robust understanding of eDNA detectability across all life stages. We conducted a 12-month eDNA survey in two Canadian rivers to describe temporal variation in eDNA concentrations of two anadromous fishes, Chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha; Salmonidae) and coho salmon (O. kisutch), and relate this to important life history periods, including spawning, egg incubation, fry emergence, rearing, and outmigration. We sampled downstream of known spawning grounds and found that discharge-corrected eDNA concentrations were closely associated with known migratory patterns acros..., , # Data from: Environmental DNA reflects differences in freshwater habitat use between two Pacific salmonids at fine temporal scales

Dataset DOI: [10.5061/dryad.5x69p8djn](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.5x69p8djn)

## Description of the data and file structure

**Article Title:** Environmental DNA Reflects Differences in Freshwater Habitat Use Between Two Pacific Salmonids at Fine Temporal Scales

**Authors:** Brock Burgess, Richard Chea, Kristen Westfall, Cathryn Abbott, Josephine Iacarella

**Journal:** Environmental DNA

**Corresponding Author:** Brock Burgess

**Email:** [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail]) | [[e-mail]](mailto:[e-mail])

### Files and variables

#### File: life_history_data_dryad.xlsx

**Description:** These data support the analyses presented in **Environmental DNA Reflects Differences in Freshwater Habitat Use Between Two Pacific Salmonids at Fine Temporal Scales**. The dataset includes qPCR and environme...,