University of North Carolina at Greensboro

Michael McClain Marshall

Vincent C Henrich, Iii

Parke A Rublee

Disclosed are compositions, products, methods and systems for monitoring ecosystems, such as bodies of water, for a parameter of the ecosystems, such as the presence or absence of mercury. In one embodiment, the product may include a plurality of oligonucleotides immobilized at known locations on a substrate as an array, such that each location on the array is an oligonucleotide having a sequence derived from a single, predetermined operational taxonomic unit (OTU) and wherein at least one sequence on the array is associated with the presence or absence of mercury. The sequences immobilized on the array may be from known, or unknown organisms. Also disclosed are methods for identifying and isolating bioindicators diagnostic of ecosystem parameters, such as whether mercury is present. The compositions, products, methods and systems of the invention may be used for rapid, and continual monitoring of ecosystems for parameters of interest, such as the presence or absence of mercury.

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Greensboro, NC, United States of America

Michael McClain Marshall