A Review and Perspective of eDNA Application to Eutrophication and HAB Control in Freshwater and Marine Ecosystems.

Qi Liu,Fengqin Chang,Fengwen Liu,Hucai Zhang,Yun Zhang,Ping Xie,Han Wu,Wei Peng,Xiaonan Zhang

doi:10.3390/microorganisms8030417

Abstract

Changing ecological communities in response to anthropogenic activities and climate change has become a worldwide problem. The eutrophication of waterbodies in freshwater and seawater caused by the effects of human activities and nutrient inputs could result in harmful algae blooms (HABs), decreases water quality, reductions in biodiversity and threats to human health. Rapid and accurate monitoring and assessment of aquatic ecosystems are imperative. Environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis using high-throughput sequencing has been demonstrated to be an effective and sensitive assay for detecting and monitoring single or multiple species in different samples. In this study, we review the potential applications of eDNA approaches in controlling and mitigating eutrophication and HABs in freshwater and marine ecosystems. We use recent studies to highlight how eDNA methods have been shown to be a useful tool for providing comprehensive data in studies of eutrophic freshwater and marine environments. We also provide perspectives on using eDNA techniques to reveal molecular mechanisms in biological processes and mitigate eutrophication and HABs in aquatic ecosystems. Finally, we discuss the feasible applications of eDNA for monitoring biodiversity, surveying species communities and providing instructions for the conservation and management of the environment by integration with traditional methods and other advanced techniques.

Highlights

The eutrophication of lakes and coastal oceans, which is caused by excess inputs of nutrients, has become a worldwide problem [1]
We describe the potential applications of Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods for eutrophication and harmful algae blooms (HABs) control in freshwater and marine ecosystems
It is widely cognized that eDNA metabarcoding could contribute to the development of biological techniques for use against eutrophication and HABs, such as cyanobacterial blooms

Summary

Introduction

The eutrophication of lakes and coastal oceans, which is caused by excess inputs of nutrients, has become a worldwide problem [1]. The negative effects of eutrophic waters might result in murky water, harmful algae blooms (HABs) caused by phytoplankton, anoxia or toxicity of waterbodies and reduced species diversity [7]. Cyanobacterial blooms, such as those caused by Microcystis, are a major sign of eutrophication in lakes and can destroy the food web in aquatic environments because of their toxicity and rapid proliferation [8]. There are many physical and chemical techniques to control cyanobacterial blooms and improve water quality, such as coagulation and treatment with copper sulfate [10,11] These physical and chemical methods can be time-consuming, expensive, and damaging to the environment. We describe the potential applications of eDNA methods for eutrophication and HAB control in freshwater and marine ecosystems

eDNA Methods for Eutrophication and HAB Control

Marine Ecosystems

Perspectives on eDNA

Findings

Conclusions