Surveying tropical faunal diversity via airborne DNA analyses.

ABSTRACT: Here, we assess the potential of airborne eDNA (airDNA) metabarcoding to characterize arthropod and vertebrate assemblages in a tropical forest. We deployed 28 high-flow air samplers across a 1.5 km² area on Barro Colorado Island, Panama, over two consecutive 24-hour periods and sequenced captured DNA using general eukaryotic and vertebrate-specific metabarcoding primers. AirDNA sampling detected 1293 arthropod operational taxonomic units (OTUs) with a COI primer set alongside 157 vertebrate OTUs representing birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and fish with a 12S rRNA primer set. Arthropod richness was comparable to that quantified locally with light and Malaise trap surveys, while vertebrate richness exceeded that typically observed with conventional techniques. 76% of the a

SUBMITTER: Craine JM 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12541003 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature