Catchment-based sampling of river eDNA integrates terrestrial and aquatic biodiversity of alpine landscapes.

ABSTRACT: Monitoring of terrestrial and aquatic species assemblages at large spatial scales based on environmental DNA (eDNA) has the potential to enable evidence-based environmental policymaking. The spatial coverage of eDNA-based studies varies substantially, and the ability of eDNA metabarcoding to capture regional biodiversity remains to be assessed; thus, questions about best practices in the sampling design of entire landscapes remain open. We tested the extent to which eDNA sampling can capture the diversity of a region with highly heterogeneous habitat patches across a wide elevation gradient for five days through multiple hydrological catchments of the Swiss Alps. Using peristaltic pumps, we filtered 60 L of water at five sites per catchment for a total volume of 1800 L. Using an eDNA metab

SUBMITTER: Reji Chacko M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10475001 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature