eDNA Publications
Available as a preprint or currently under review:
Brammell, Ben F., Sara A. Brewer*, Ethan A. Hoogerheide*, and Mary R. Johnson*. Molecular detection of
a cryptic salamander: Development of an eDNA assay for the detection of the mud salamander (Pseudotrition montanus). bioRxiv: https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2025.01.12.632641v1
Brammell, Ben F., Sara A. Brewer*, Elizabeth K. Strasko, Madeline M. Cox*, and Jarrett R. Johnson. eDNA
monitoring of a rare salamander: The use of eDNA in detection of Eurycea junaluska in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
In Print or Press:
Brewer, Sara A.*, Rebecca R. Piche*, Florene G. Bell*, Angie F. Flores*, Kenton L. Sena, Thomas A.
Maigret, Chi Jing Leow*, and Ben F. Brammell. 2025. The use of eDNA in detection of Northern Red (Pseudotriton ruber) and Spring (Gyrinophilus porphyriticus) Salamanders: development and validation of quantitative PCR assays with notes on phylogeographic effectiveness. In Press, Herpetology Notes.
Brammell, Ben F., Sara A. Brewer*, Karsner S. Fetter*, Lauren E. Slone*, Matt A. Kulp, and Ben R. S. McLaughlin. 2025. Ichthyofaunal metabarcoding in the Southern Appalachians: Use of eDNA metabarcoding in fish surveys in lotic systems of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park with comparisons to historic electrofishing data. Fishes 10(4): 145. https://doi.org/10.3390/fishes10040145
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Brammell, Ben F., Elizabeth K. Strasko*, Sara A. Brewer*, Rebecca R. Piche*, Cierla M. Sams*, Cy L. Mott, Malinda A. Stull. 2023. Detecting fossorial salamanders using eDNA; development and validation of quantitative and end-point PCR assays for the detection of five species of Ambystoma. Conservation Genetics Resources 15(4):187-198. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12686-023-01322-6
Strasko, Elizabeth K.*, Rebecca R. Piche*, and Ben F. Brammell. 2023. Development and validation of
PCR primers for detecting Ambystoma texanum (smallmouth salamander) from eDNA samples. Tennessee Journal of Herpetology 6:4-18. https://www.tnherpsociety.org/copy-of-template-12
Bell, Florene F.*, Angie F. Flores*, Kenton L. Sena, Thomas A. Maigret, Chi Jing Leow*, Ronald B.
Sams*, David K. Peyton, and . 2022. Development and validation of qPCR assays for use in eDNA detection of southern two-lined (Eurycea cirrigera) and northern dusky (Desmognathus fuscus) salamanders. Herpetological Conservation and Biology 17(2):398-412. https://www.herpconbio.org/Volume_17/Issue_2/Bell_etal_2022.pdf
Guivas, Ramon M.* and Ben F. Brammell. 2020. Evaluation of biomass and filtration method on
eDNA detection of fantail darters. International Journal of Zoology 3:1-7. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/4731686