STORIES FROM THE FIELD
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STORIES FROM THE FIELD: BIOMONITORING MARINE ECOSYSTEMS IN COLOMBIA
With environmental RNA and DNA, scientists and researchers can monitor and identify species present in various marine ecosystems, and determine which organisms are thriving and which are in distress caused by climate change
By: Sigrid Vestergaard Frandsen, Director of Environmental Health, 10/01/2025
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In the San Andrés Archipelago in the Greater Colombian Caribbean, you will find one of the most extraordinary marine protected areas (MPA), named the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve. It was declared a biosphere reserve by UNESCO in 2000, and protects more than 2,300 marine species, making it one of the most diverse marine ecosystems on earth. With its coral reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, beaches, and deep water, it is the first MPA in Colombia, the largest in the Caribbean region, and among the largest in the world.
Earlier this year, a team of scientists pioneered a scientific mission supported by ProColombia, Daniels Philanthropies, Coralína, Paradis De Colors, Marine Mosaic, and The Explorers Club. The team collected environmental RNA and DNA from reefs, mangroves, seagrass beds, and coastal waters.
Using a groundbreaking technology, they identified the different species that have been present in the waters of San Andres, but crucially, they also determined which organisms are thriving and which are suffering due to climate change. The new technology, pioneered by Marine Mosaic and Dr. Sean Bedingfield, can also detect pests, invasive species, and monitor populations and ecosystems – truly paving the way for a new era in ocean monitoring and conservation.
A mangrove forest in the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve. Photo: Sammy Martínes.
What makes this mission especially impactful is its collaborative nature. The team included both local and international scientists, making the research a shared responsibility. The project weaved together science, community and, regenerative tourism, building a living model where tourism supports ecosystems rather than draining and exhausting them.
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Dr. Sean Bedingfield, the lead scientist on the expedition, explains that this expedition is the first field test using eRNA to perform ecological biomonitoring of marine ecosystems; “We’re using a new technique that is fieldwork-friendly and is extremely sensitive. We want to share this technique and the results of this expedition with stewards of marine areas around the world as another tool in their toolbox to better gauge the success of their protection policies and the restoration efforts.”
NAUTILUS – manufactured by Marine Mosaic – the technology used to sample eRNA and eDNA in the Seaflower Biosphere Reserve, Colombia. Photo: Sammy Martínes.
As organisms shed their RNA and DNA into the environment, scientists can sample the genetic material left behind and get a detailed snapshot of the ecosystem's health. The technology is called NAUTILUS – Nucleic Acid Utility for Large-volume, In-field, Unrefrigerated Sampling. This approach is far less invasive than traditional methods and can often detect changes before they’re visible to the naked eye or detectable through other means. These eRNA and eDNA analyses can provide clues about the species present without disrupting the ecosystem, and can profile thousands of species simultaneously from a single sample.
From left: Sammy Martínes, Carolina Vanegas, Maria Muñoz, Sean Bedingfield, Dylan Pérez holding The Explorers Club flag no. 206 on expedition
The significance of this work reached far beyond the shores of San Andrés. Just last week, the team presented their results at the historic headquarters of The Explorers Club in New York City during this year’s NYC Climate Week – with more than 130 attendees in the room and thousands tuning in online. The presentation highlighted how science, conservation and innovation can come together to address some of the planet’s most urgent environmental challenges.
Our board member, Dr. Alexander More—a climate and health scientist involved in the mission—reflected on the broader implications: “Dr. Bedingfield’s technology reveals the biodiversity of the ocean in unprecedented ways. For San Andrés, this could mean becoming a global hub for scientific tourism where conservation and exploration meet, and where Colombia leads by example.”
Dr. Sean Bedingfield presenting the results of the expedition at The Explorers Club during this year's NYC Climate Week, 09/23/2025.
Photo: MOY Photography.
From right: Carolina Vanegas, Isabella Ordosgoitia, Cristián Semper, Maria José Abuabara, Sean Bedingfield, María Camila Castellanos, Alexander More and Catalina Sánches Montoya returning flag no. 206 to The Explorers Club, 09/23/2025. Photo: MOY Photography.
As climate change continues to stress marine environments worldwide, tools like these offer a promising new lens to understand and protect the fragile life beneath the waves. The expedition to San Andrés was a scientific breakthrough and a hopeful blueprint for how communities, scientists, and regenerative tourism can work together to protect our planet’s blue heart. In these waters, exploding with life, a new kind of story is being written — one where the future of our marine protected areas begins with us listening more closely to the ones living in them.
This expedition was made possible by
