Dr Gert-jan Jeunen1, Ms Jasmine Cane2, Prof Miles Lamare3, Prof Neil Gemmell1
1Department of Anatomy, University Of Otago, , , 2ARC CoE for Coral Reef Studies, James Cook University, , , 3Department of Marine Sciences, University Of Otago, ,
Anthropogenic pressures are modifying our natural world at an unprecedented pace, radically affecting ecosystem stability and health. To understand the consequences of these changes, monitoring biodiversity trends is crucial. Aquatic environmental DNA (eDNA) surveys have provided accurate biodiversity assessments in recent years. Time-intensive field and laboratory protocols, however, are hindering large-scale implementation. Recently, eDNA was retrieved from marine filter feeders, a discovery that potentially circumvents scalability issues surrounding aquatic eDNA approaches. Here, we determined the ability and efficiency of filter-feeding organisms to accumulate eDNA. We compared vertebrate diversity obtained from sponges and mussels to aquatic eDNA and traditional diver surveys along a vertical transect in Doubtful Sound. By detecting migratory (e.g., blue whale – Balaenoptera musculus) and terrestrial organisms (e.g., brown kiwi – Apteryx rowi), as well as residing fish populations (e.g., butterfly perch – Caesioperca lepidoptera), eDNA from water and filter feeders detected more vertebrates compared to the diver survey. Furthermore, both eDNA surveys displayed similar beta-diversity patterns and identified the zonation pattern induced by the near-permanent halocline. Our results demonstrate the accumulation of eDNA in filter-feeding organisms. By circumventing the long process of water filtration, filter feeders might facilitate large-scale eDNA survey implementation, thereby providing essential information for effective management responses.
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