Putting eDNA to the Test: A Field Comparison of eDNA Metabarcoding to Established Protocols for Assessing Biodiversity in Missouri’s Ozark Highland Streams

Alternative Title

eDNA Metabarcoding in Ozark Highland Streams

Author

Veronica M. Lee
Leah K. Berkman
Aaron D. Geheber
Brett Landwer
Eric J. Ludwig
David D. Duvernell, Missouri University of Science and TechnologyFollow

Abstract

Aquatic biodiversity monitoring to inform conservation and management efforts in stream systems has increasingly begun to incorporate eDNA-based sampling methods. We conducted a comparison of eDNA metabarcoding to a traditional protocol of combined seining and electrofishing methods to assess fish biodiversity of wadeable stream sites in six separate drainages in the Ozark Highlands of Missouri. The study further focused on the headwaters of the Meramec River, which included eleven sites and seasonal sampling (summer and winter). We compared estimates of diversity across sampling methods, assessed hypothesized relationships of habitat (depth and velocity) and season (summer vs winter) to eDNA detection, and tested the effects of sampling method and site locality on fish assemblage structural dynamics. eDNA sampling detected approximately double the number of species detected compared to traditional methods, providing higher diversity estimates while maintaining the relative ranking of sites. eDNA detection probabilities were positively associated with stream depth and velocity and were generally higher in summer than in winter but not for all species. Assemblage differences between tributary and mainstem sites were attributable to a small number of species that were found predominantly in one stream size category or the other, indicating that eDNA was sensitive to within-drainage assemblage structure relationships. Improved species detection and a more comprehensive understanding of assemblage structural dynamics are important benefits encouraging the use of eDNA metabarcoding as a primary collection method in future stream biodiversity assessment and monitoring programs.

Recommended Citation

V. M. Lee et al., "Putting eDNA to the Test: A Field Comparison of eDNA Metabarcoding to Established Protocols for Assessing Biodiversity in Missouri’s Ozark Highland Streams,", Jan 2023.

Department(s)

Biological Sciences

Keywords and Phrases

DNA, Environmental; Biological Monitoring; Biodiversity; Stream; Fresh Water, Seine, Electrofishing, Metabarcoding

Document Type

Article - Preprint

Document Version

Preprint

File Type

text

Language(s)

English

Rights

© 2023 The Authors, all rights reserved.

Publication Date

2023