What do my results mean?

A positive result means that great crested newts are present in the water or have been present in the water in the recently.
A negative result indicates that DNA from the great crested newt has not been detected in the sample.
An inconclusive result can be issued for a couple of reasons.
- DNA from the great crested newt has not been detected but the controls have indicated that the sample has been degraded.
- DNA from the great crested newt has not been detected but the controls have indicated that the PCR has been inhibited.
An inconclusive result may be due to the water chemistry, sediment or other debris in the sample. The pond could be retested (a new sample would be required) but if the water chemistry was the cause of the inconclusive result - the re-test would also be inconclusive.

Other FAQs