Annual time-series analysis of aqueous eDNA reveals ecologically relevant dynamics of lake ecosystem biodiversity

• DOI: 10.1038/ncomms14087
• Publication Date: 2017-01-18T11:23:01Z
• Authors: Iliana Bista; Gary R. Carvalho; Kerry Walsh; Mathew Seymour; Mehrdad Hajibabaei; Delphine Lallias; Martin Christmas; Simon Creer
• Keywords: Environmental DNA; Biota; Taxonomic rank

Abstract The use of environmental DNA (eDNA) in biodiversity assessments offers a step-change sensitivity, throughput and simultaneous measures ecosystem diversity function. There remains, however, need to examine eDNA persistence the wild through temporal biota. Here, we metabarcoding two markers different lengths, derived from an annual time series aqueous lake shifts ecologically important group macroinvertebrates (Diptera: Chironomidae). analyses allow levels detection validation taxon richness community composition (β-diversity) time, with shorter fragments dominating community. Comparisons between eDNA, DNA, taxonomy UK species abundance data further show significant relationships estimates across disparate methodologies. Our results reveal dynamics validate utility for tracking seasonal at scale.