Acidity promotes degradation of multi-species environmental DNA in lotic mesocosms
2018
Accurate quantification of biodiversity is fundamental to understanding ecosystem function and for environmental assessment. Molecular methods using
environmental DNA(eDNA) offer a non-invasive, rapid, and cost-effective alternative to traditional biodiversity assessments, which require high levels of expertise. While eDNA analyses are increasingly being utilized, there remains considerable uncertainty regarding the dynamics of multispecies eDNA, especially in variable systems such as rivers. Here, we utilize four sets of upland stream
mesocosms, across an acid–base gradient, to assess the temporal and
environmental degradationof multispecies eDNA. Sampling included water column and biofilm sampling over time with eDNA quantified using qPCR. Our findings show that the persistence of lotic multispecies eDNA, sampled from water and biofilm, decays to non-detectable levels within 2 days and that acidic environments accelerate the degradation process. Collectively, the results provide the basis for a predictive framework for the relationship between lotic eDNA degradation dynamics in spatio-temporally dynamic
river ecosystems.
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