Launching our New Threatened Species Matrix & Advisory Solution

12 November 2025

• New solution to navigate threatened species assessments & de-risk results
• The Matrix integrates multiple layers of spatial and molecular information
• At each step, the Matrix provides a confidence rating with an overall calculated score

We are excited to officially launch our Threatened Species Matrix & Advisory Solution. Our team recently introduced this innovative tool at the Environment Institute of Australia and New Zealand (EIANZ) Conference in Perth, and we’re thrilled to now make it available to the public.

Environmental consultants face contstant pressure having to get it right when it comes to threatened species detection. This requires accurately determining the presence or absence of threatened flora and fauna through on-ground monitoring activities and providing quality advice to clients regarding potential mitigation actions. 

These responsibilities are underpinned by rigorous regulatory demands and high expectations from clients for accuracy and efficiency. To help address this challenge, we developed the Threatened Species Matrix & Advisory solution - a digital pathway that provides transparency and confidence when assessing and applying eDNA methods for threatened species detection. 

The challenge of detection 

eDNA can be a powerful and sensitive tool, but this gain comes with a cost of complexity and uncertainty. Like all monitoring methods, it’s not a “one-size-fits-all” approach. Sampling and laboratory methods must be appropriate to the task.  

The gold standard for eDNA assays (tests designed to detect one or more species) is a rigorous process of technical and field validation, but most assays exist somewhere along this spectrum. 

In our experience, a significant source of this uncertainty is the ability of eDNA assays to detect and resolve particular species, given application of a sampling method and survey plan. We can now address uncertainty in assay suitability in a consistent way, while continually reducing uncertainty on the sampling side. 

The Threatened Species Matrix shows: 

• Which threatened species, out of those that are potentially present at a location, have suitable genetic resources for eDNA detection (Reference genetic databases are continually improving, and a process of continual evaluation is necessary to keep pace). 
• If resources are adequate, whether suitable eDNA assays exist to detect the target species (and only this species, considering related species that may also occur in the project location).

• Quantitative indicators of confidence for eDNA methods, considering all of the above, and our database of historical detections.

• Opportunities to reduce spatial and/or taxonomic gaps in detection uncertainty prior to undertaking surveys through tailored sampling plans, sourcing of additional reference material for target and non-target species, or by development of new assays.

• The Matrix makes the process of eDNA detection more transparent and easier to understand. It takes users’ understanding beyond a simple “detected” or “not detected” result to a quantitative understanding of how confident we can be – and why. 

The benefits for consultants 

• Stronger regulatory submissions: Regulators want to see rigour and evidence. A quantified confidence score (and the details to back it up) adds weight to your assessments. 

• Cost and time savings: By knowing upfront where the gaps are, you can design your project efficiently, avoiding wasted effort and budget. 

• Clarity for clients: You can explain why results look the way they do, and back up your findings with defensible data. 

• Better decisions: Choosing the right tool for the job and minimising uncertainty. 

The bigger picture

The Threatened Species Matrix is also guiding our R&D investments, helping us target resources where they’re needed most – particularly for EPBC-listed species. And because we’re integrating ecological data, such as species detection records and distribution maps, we’re providing context that goes beyond genetics alone. 

With the Threatened Species Matrix, you don’t just get eDNA results — you gain clarity, confidence, and a clear path forward. The tool is designed to help make your projects more robust, your work easier, and your regulatory reporting more straightforward.

Learn more

Threatened Species Matrix Walkthrough: 20 minutes

• eDNA for biodiversity assessments, environmental approvals, and ecological monitoring

• Use of the Threatened Species Matrix for informed decision-making

• Understanding assays, detection confidence, and key sampling considerations

• Case studies monitoring EPBC-listed species

• For more information: Threatened Species Matrix & Advisory

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