We are currently testing the best way to preserve field samples of submerged aquatic vegetation over a number of time spans. We collected Elodea species from a site in Winters, CA and preserved it in Zymo’s Xpedition Lysis/Stabilization Solution^TM  (used in the ZEN Project), 100% ethanol, dessication, freezing, and RNAlater®. After extracting DNA from roots and leaves at various time points, we will compare taxonomic biases, DNA yield, and general effectiveness for each preservation method.