Forensics Meets Ecology – Environmental DNA Offers New Capabilities for Marine Ecosystem and Fisheries Research

Clare I. M. Adams,Yvonne Schadewell

doi:10.3389/fmars.2021.668822

Abstract

Climatic changes and anthropogenic pressures affect biodiversity and community composition. These biodiversity shifts are recognized in marine ecosystems, but the underlying processes are barely understood so far. Importantly, human well-being highly relies on oceanic services, which are affected by anthropogenic pressures. Here, we review how interdisciplinary research approaches, with the incorporation of eDNA (environmental DNA) analyses, can help increase the understanding of complex ecosystem processes and dynamics, and how they affect ecosystem services. We discuss marine conservation issues in the light of life cycle aspects and conclude that eDNA can improve our ecological knowledge in some instances, for example, in tracking migration patterns. We also illustrate and discuss the application of eDNA analysis within the context of population genetics, epigenetics, geochemistry and oceanography. Embedded into an interdisciplinary context, eDNA can be exploited by a huge variety of methodological techniques, and can resolve spatio-temporal patterns of diversity, species, or even populations within ecological, evolutionary, and management frameworks.

Highlights

Biodiversity declines and extinction rates have accelerated over the last few decades due to climate change and anthropogenic influences (IPBES, 2019)
A new methodology, the analysis of environmental DNA can help to address gaps in our knowledge about biological community change (Figure 1). eDNA is characterized as a mixture of DNA shed by many organisms into the environment (Bohmann et al, 2014). eDNA can be used to target single species, like invasive or rare species (e.g., Wilcox et al, 2018), and can be used to investigate whole community compositions when combined with metabarcoding approaches
We focus on the implementation of eDNAbased approaches in an interdisciplinary context for marine management and conservation

Summary

Introduction

Biodiversity declines and extinction rates have accelerated over the last few decades due to climate change and anthropogenic influences (IPBES, 2019). EDNA can be used to target single species, like invasive or rare species (e.g., Wilcox et al, 2018), and can be used to investigate whole community compositions when combined with metabarcoding approaches. Besides identifying an increased or more accurate list of taxa, eDNA can be used for monitoring changes in marine community composition.

Results

Conclusion