{"id":1595,"date":"2025-04-05T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2025-04-05T09:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/?p=1595"},"modified":"2025-05-30T12:39:30","modified_gmt":"2025-05-30T12:39:30","slug":"hundipea-environmental-dna","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/hundipea-environmental-dna\/","title":{"rendered":"Surprising discoveries at Hundipea \u2013 we have 2,347 unusual neighbours"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><strong>At Hundipea, nature isn\u2019t just a backdrop \u2013 it\u2019s a neighbour and a partner in shaping everyday life. Like in any good relationship, we look after it, and in return, it helps create a healthier, more resilient urban environment.  <\/strong><\/h3>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p>We\u2019re working to build a neighbourhood where people and other species don\u2019t just live side by side, but grow together. It means that nature isn\u2019t decorative \u2013 it\u2019s an active part of the city that we support and plan for. And to do that, we need to understand what\u2019s already here.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Last year, we teamed up with researchers to map the environmental DNA (eDNA) in Hundipea\u2019s soil and water*. The results gave us a glimpse into the microscopic world \u2013 from bacteria and fungi to bottom-dwelling sea life \u2013 and helped us understand how we can support biodiversity right from the start. <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>What is eDNA \u2013 and why does it matter?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Environmental DNA allows us to \u201cread\u201d the landscape. Every organism leaves behind traces of itself \u2013 from hair and skin cells to tiny organic particles. These traces can be collected and analysed, giving us a clearer picture of who\u2019s living in an area.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We collected more than 50 samples from the water and soil across Hundipea and sent them to NatureMetrics labs in the UK. The results gave us a brand-new perspective on our environment and our wild neighbours.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>So, who lives in Hundipea?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The eDNA analysis revealed:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>1,410 species of bacteria<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>856 species of fungi<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>60 species of invertebrates<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>13 species of fish<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>8 species of other vertebrates<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>One key takeaway \u2013 the fungal and bacterial biodiversity at Hundipea was comparable to the protected Paljassaare Nature Reserve nearby. Even in a post-industrial port area, nature is surprisingly vibrant.<br\/><br\/>Even more interesting: the soil of the mini-forest we planted in 2024 showed richer biodiversity than areas of regularly mowed grass. Fungal diversity in the mini-forest was more than double, proving that small, conscious choices \u2013 like allowing space for nature to grow freely \u2013 can have a big impact.   <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While no endangered species were detected, we found sticklebacks dominating the coastal waters, ragworms in the seabed, and Nocardioides bacteria in the soil \u2013 a species known to survive in polluted environments. The soil also contains mutualist fungi, which form symbiotic relationships with plant roots and help them grow better. This shows it\u2019s possible to support natural ecosystems even in an urban setting.  <\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-layout-constrained wp-block-group-is-layout-constrained\">\n<p><strong>What does it mean for Hundipea\u2019s future?<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This baseline data allows us to design green and blue spaces with more intention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Green roofs and facades can offer nesting areas for birds.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Unmown areas support fungi and insect habitats.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Algae-rich seabeds help maintain aquatic biodiversity.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019re also working with marine biologist <strong>Holger J\u00e4nes<\/strong> to explore nature-based solutions for improving the seabed in Hundipea\u2019s aquatic area. The aim is to make the waterfront more usable and engaging in everyday life \u2013 whether that\u2019s spending time by the sea, exploring marine life, or supporting water-related hobbies in the future. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In a few years, we\u2019ll repeat the eDNA study to understand how the environment has evolved and where we can do better. The goal isn\u2019t just to \u201cgreen\u201d the area, but to help nature become self-sustaining \u2013 part of a strong, resilient urban system. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>At Hundipea, nature isn\u2019t something we add later \u2013 it\u2019s part of how the neighbourhood works from the start. By supporting the species that are already here, we\u2019re building a better environment for all of us.<br\/><br\/><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n<p><em>*Collecting seabed samples was the biggest challenge \u2013 luckily, we had help from a small yellow diving robot, which dove six metres underwater to scoop up the mud.<\/em><\/p>\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We\u2019re working to build a neighbourhood where people and other species don\u2019t just live side by side, but grow together. It means that nature isn\u2019t decorative \u2013 it\u2019s an active part of the city that we support and plan for. And to do that, we need to understand what\u2019s already here.   <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1590,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[26],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1595","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1595","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1595"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1595\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1606,"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1595\/revisions\/1606"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1590"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1595"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1595"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/hundipea.ee\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1595"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}