LOS ANGELES — The Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County was a co-author on a new study on how environmental DNA, or eDNA, is an effective and efficient method to measuring biodiversity.

EDNA is a tool that will allow scientists to conduct their surveys cheaply, quickly and with a frequency that lets them see environmental and climate changes as they’re happening.

The project is part of a larger program called DISCO, which stands for the Diversity Initiative for the Southern California Ocean. It’s dedicated to using eDNA to conduct better and quicker sampling of biodiversity.