Humankind has not woven the web of life. We are but one thread within it. Whatever we do to the web, we do to ourselves. All things are bound together. All things connect.” ~ Attributed to Chief Seattle, Duwamish
For the past year, the Molecular Ecological Network Analysis (MENA) Project has worked to illuminate that very web across five national parks in five African countries. Through the collection of environmental DNA (eDNA) from soil, water, and faecal samples, we are uncovering the invisible threads that connect species, revealing the structure and function of ecosystems with unprecedented clarity. Every genetic trace tells a story – of presence, interaction, interdependence – and together, they form a living tapestry of biodiversity, vulnerability, and resilience.
Why Does This Matter?
Ecosystems are dynamic, interconnected systems where every species, from microscopic bacteria to apex predators, plays a role in maintaining ecological balance. Yet, traditional monitoring methods often focus on individual species rather than the intricate web of interactions that sustain biodiversity. While protected areas safeguard wildlife, human activities and climate change continue to transform, even degrade ecosystems in ways that species counts alone just cannot capture.
The Solution: Molecular Ecological Network Analysis (MENA)
Backed by nearly $1 million in funding from the Paul G. Allen Foundation, African Parks is leading an innovative shift in conservation science. MENA merges eDNA sequencing with Ecological Network Analysis (ENA) to create a powerful tool for quantifying biodiversity and ecosystem integrity, through providing insights into ecosystem composition, structure, and function.
By leveraging eDNA technology, MENA provides a scalable, non-invasive approach to biodiversity monitoring, detecting species presence and distribution without the need for direct observation. More importantly, reconstructing food webs allows scientists to trace predator-prey relationships and plant-herbivore interactions, offering a deeper understanding of how ecosystems function. These insights are critical for assessing ecosystem health, identifying vulnerabilities, and informing conservation strategies that move beyond species lists to a more holistic, data-driven approach.
How it works
This approach begins with eDNA metabarcoding, which extracts and sequences DNA from environmental samples to identify species presence – from microbes to megafauna – creating a comprehensive biodiversity snapshot. From there, ENAs reconstruct species interactions to assess ecosystem function, mapping trophic relationships, and other crucial ecological networks. By comparing managed and unmanaged areas, MENA provides a science-based framework to measure restoration efforts, identify key and vulnerable species in the system, and predict cascading ecological effects.
With ENA powered by eDNA, we move beyond the presence or absence of data to capture the true architecture – a bigger picture – of biodiversity, transforming how we monitor, restore, and protect ecosystems.
This project has never been attempted at scale or across multiple biomes. Its primary objectives then are to demonstrate MENA’s effectiveness in tracking ecosystem restoration, establish its feasibility and scalability across different parks and landscapes, and generate valuable data for network ecology while building local research capacity.
Five Parks, Five Countries, One Shared Goal
The MENA team has trained more than 160 park staff, volunteers, and researchers with a foundation knowledge of DNA metabarcoding, methodologies in biological sample collection, and its application. From the deserts of Iona National Park in Angola to the rainforests of Odzala-Kokoua in the Republic of Congo, as well as Zakouma, Kafue and Akagera, our team has collected over 7,775 faecal, soil, and water samples across diverse biomes. Each sample holds a genetic record of the species that have passed through – drinking from a waterhole, grazing on vegetation, or leaving behind traces of their diet, microbiome, and parasites in data-rich dung.
Through these efforts, MENA aims to bridge conservation science with real-world management, equipping rangers, ecologists, and policymakers with the tools they need to make data-driven decisions that protect Africa’s natural heritage.
Expected Outcomes
- Baseline Biodiversity – Establish comprehensive species inventories from below ground to above, microbes to plant communities and megaherbivores.
- Ecological Networks – Map species interactions to assess ecosystem integrity, capturing the structure, composition, and functional roles that regulate ecological processes and emergent properties.
- Conservation Impact – Measure the effectiveness of protected area management by comparing conservation and non-conservation sites. Over time, we will be able to measure the change in these ecological networks within a given park.
What’s Next?
With the fieldwork complete – a monumental effort of precision, endurance, and teamwork – the next phase shifts to the lab. Here, high-throughput sequencing (i.e., technologies that sequence DNA rapidly and cost-effectively) will decode the environmental DNA, uncovering patterns of species diversity, ecosystem integrity, connectivity, and functional roles with remarkable depth. As the data unfolds, it will provide unprecedented insight into the complexity and robustness of these ecosystems, guiding more informed and effective strategies for conservation.
This is just the beginning. The more we understand these ecological networks, the better we can conserve them. Because, as Chief Seattle so wisely stated: “All things are bound together. All things connect.”
Stay tuned as we unravel the web of life, one strand at a time.
22 April 2025 – Jordana Morgan, Project Manager: eDNA Special Project
