Future of DNA-based insect monitoring

Trends in Genetics, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 39(7), P. 531 - 544

Published: March 10, 2023

Language: Английский

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Monitoring the birds and the bees: Environmental DNA metabarcoding of flowers detects plant–animal interactions

Environmental DNA, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 5(3), P. 488 - 502

Published: March 8, 2023

Abstract Animal pollinators are vital for the reproduction of ~90% flowering plants. However, many these pollinating species experiencing declines globally, making effective pollinator monitoring methods more important than ever before. Pollinators can leave DNA on flowers they visit, and metabarcoding environmental (eDNA) traces provides an opportunity to detect presence flower visitors. Our study, collecting from seven plant with diverse floral morphologies, eDNA analysis, illustrated value this novel survey tool. using three assays, including one developed in study target common bush birds, recorded animal visiting visual surveys conducted concurrently, bees, other species. We also a visit western pygmy possum; our knowledge is first simultaneously identify interaction insect, mammal, bird flowers. The highest diversity taxa was detected large inflorescence types found Banksia arborea Grevillea georgeana. demonstrates that ease sample collection robustness methodology has profound implications future management biodiversity, allowing us monitor both plants their attendant cohort potential pollinators. This opens avenues rapid efficient comparison biodiversity ecosystem health between different sites may provide insights into surrogate event declines.

Language: Английский

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Environmental DNA metabarcoding from flowers reveals arthropod pollinators, plant pests, parasites, and potential predator–prey interactions while revealing more arthropod diversity than camera traps

Environmental DNA, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 5(3), P. 551 - 569

Published: March 29, 2023

Abstract Arthropods can strongly impact ecosystems through pollination, herbivory, predation, and parasitism. As such, characterizing arthropod biodiversity is vital to understanding ecosystem health, functions, services. Emerging environmental DNA (eDNA) methods targeting trace eDNA left behind on flowers have the potential track interactions. The goal of this study was determine extent which metabarcoding identify plant‐arthropod arthropod‐arthropod interactions assess compared conventional sampling. We deployed camera traps document activity specific flowers, sampled from those same then performed a analysis that targets partial fragment cytochrome c oxidase subunit I gene (COI) all present. found our detected small pollinators, plant pests, parasites, shed light predator–prey while detecting 55 species just 21 trapping. trapping survey, however, larger, more conspicuous nectarivores successfully. also explored ecology residual eDNA, finding rainfall had significant negative effect ability detect eDNA. Preliminary evidence indicates flower may amount be detected. provide clues highlights insights gained future studies. show valuable tool for not only pollinator communities but revealing among plants, predators. Future research should focus how improve detection large pollinators/nectivores studying further explore method's utility.

Language: Английский

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Environmental DNA as an emerging tool in botanical research

American Journal of Botany, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 110(2)

Published: Jan. 12, 2023

Over the past quarter century, environmental DNA (eDNA) has been ascendant as a tool to detect, measure, and monitor biodiversity (species communities), means of elucidating biological interaction networks, window into understanding patterns biodiversity. However, only recently potential eDNA realized in botanical world. Here we synthesize state applications systems with emphases on aquatic, ancient, contemporary sediment, airborne systems, focusing both single-species approaches multispecies community metabarcoding. Further, describe how abiotic biotic factors, taxonomic resolution, primer choice, spatiotemporal scales, relative abundance influence utilization interpretation results. Lastly, explore several areas opportunities for further development tools plants, advancing our knowledge efficacy, utility, cost-effectiveness, ultimately facilitating increased adoption analyses systems.

Language: Английский

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Impact of landscape configuration and composition on pollinator communities across different European biogeographic regions

Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2023, Volume and Issue: 11

Published: May 5, 2023

Introduction Heterogeneity in composition and spatial configuration of landscape elements support diversity abundance flower-visiting insects, but this is likely dependent on taxonomic group, scale, weather climatic conditions, particularly impacted by agricultural intensification. Here, we analyzed the impacts both aspects heterogeneity role conditions pollinating insect communities two economically important mass-flowering crops across Europe. Methods Using a standardized approach, collected data five groups (honey bees, bumble other hover flies butterflies) eight oilseed rape apple orchard sites (in adjacent crop margins), European countries (128 total) encompassing four biogeographic regions, quantified habitat calculating relevant metrics for (proportion land-use types) (the aggregation isolation patches). Results We found that insects responded to climate parameters taxon- crop-specific ways. For example, was positively correlated with honey bee solitary fields, fly orchards. In sites, total all pollinators, bees decreased an increasing proportion orchards surrounding landscape. less-intensively managed habitats (i.e., woodland, grassland, meadows, hedgerows) influenced butterflies. Additionally, our showed daily annual temperature, as well precipitation seasonality, affects although, again, these appeared be or crop-specific. Discussion Thus, context global change, findings emphasize importance understanding taxon-specific responses changes land use climate, ensure continued delivery pollination services pollinator-dependent crops.

Language: Английский

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Looking to the past to inform the future: What eDNA from herbarium specimens can tell us about plant–animal interactions

Applications in Plant Sciences, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 13(2)

Published: Feb. 5, 2025

The importance of natural history collections in modern ecological and genetic research cannot be overstated. Herbarium specimens provide historical information that can used to investigate community ecology, phenology, population genetics. In this study, environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding next-generation sequencing were test the efficacy detecting plant-animal interactions from herbarium specimen flowers. A modified eDNA isolation method standard Illumina protocols used. Animal was amplified using both cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) 16S primers increase detection probability. relationship between age (0-69 years) target taxa read depth also investigated. We generated identified over 1.5 million sequences animal belonging 29 clades (families or orders). These methods enabled including birds, mammals, hymenopterans, lepidopterans, coleopterans, "intrafloral" communities. While overall yielded less identifiable compared fresh material, negligibly affected amount and/or non-target detected With careful consideration types data may obtained through sampling specimens, these could prove valuable future on interactions.

Language: Английский

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Optimizing eDNA Metabarcoding Techniques for Assessing Arthropod Communities in Tree‐Related Microhabitats

Environmental DNA, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 7(1)

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Understanding the diversity and ecological roles of arthropods within tree‐related microhabitats (TreMs) is crucial for forest ecosystem conservation management. In our study, we aimed to identify most effective environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach capturing ecologically important arthropod species primarily inhabiting near‐ground‐level TreMs. We evaluated use COI 16S primers eDNA compared direct indirect sampling methods, including lying deadwood sediment (LDS), standing (SDS), soil (SS), tree surface roller (TSRS). Our results indicated significant biases challenges, particularly in primer selection, with outperforming taxonomic resolution taxa. TSRS method effectively captured 408 OTUs at level, highest number associated TreMs other approaches. Direct from sediments revealed a higher abundance fungi than arthropods, impacting estimates. also observed habitat‐specific preferences among certain methods distinct findings underscore importance carefully selecting validating studies provide insights into complexity communities Optimized will advance monitoring techniques ecosystems inform efforts preserve

Language: Английский

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Complex Interactions between Natural Capital in an Agroecosystem

Published: Jan. 1, 2025

Language: Английский

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Innovative airborne DNA approach for monitoring honey bee foraging and health

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory), Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: unknown

Published: April 18, 2025

Abstract Environmental DNA refers to genetic material collected from the environment and not directly an organism of interest. It is best known as a tool in aquatic ecology but eDNA has been found associated with almost every substrate examined including soils, surfaces, riding around on other animals. The collection airborne one most recent advances used monitor variety organisms, plants, animals, microorganisms. Evidence suggests high turnover rate providing signal for presence organism. Here, we test whether biological carried air honey bee colonies can be evaluate foraging colony health. We sampled using purpose built “bee safe” filters operating 5-6 hours at each successfully recovered plant, fungal microbial within over 3-week pilot period. From these data identified core microbiome plant interaction representing behaviour. calculated beta diversity estimate effects apiary sites sampling date recovery. observed that variance ITS was more influenced by date. Given bees are generalist pollinators our ability detect temporal signals sequence suggest this method opens new avenues into ecological analysis short term behavior level. In comparison 16S sequencing location. As assessment health needs localized, spatial indicate may important detecting infection. This study demonstrates filtration strong potential rapid screening behaviour

Language: Английский

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Robot‐Aided Measurement of Insect Diversity on Vegetation Using Environmental DNA

Ecology and Evolution, Journal Year: 2025, Volume and Issue: 15(5)

Published: May 1, 2025

ABSTRACT Traditional methods of biodiversity monitoring are often logistically challenging, time‐consuming, require experienced experts on species identification, and sometimes include destruction the targeted specimens. Here, we investigated a non‐invasive approach combining use drones environmental DNA (eDNA) to monitor insect vegetation. We aimed assess efficiency this novel method in capturing diversity comparing composition across different vegetation types (grassland, shrub forest) Switzerland. A commercial, off‐the‐shelf drone was equipped with specialised probe that autonomously swabbed collected eDNA. Then, samples were processed using rapid third‐generation Oxford Nanopore sequencing. The obtained data analysed for diversity, taxonomic richness, evenness community three habitat statistical techniques. Sequencing yielded 76 hexapod taxa, revealing an notable differences richness but not grassland, forest habitats. Our study demonstrates potential drone‐based sampling integrated eDNA nanopore sequencing monitoring, offering non‐destructive detecting occurrence plant surfaces. Integrating robotics technology provides promising solution fast, large‐scale, potentially improving conservation efforts ecosystem management.

Language: Английский

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