Abstract
Far too little is known about the long-term dynamics of populations for almost all macro-organisms. Here, we examined the utility of sedimentary DNA techniques to reconstruct the dynamics in the “abundance” of a species, which has not been previously defined. We used fish DNA in marine sediments and examined whether it could be used to track the past dynamics of pelagic fish abundance in marine waters. Quantitative PCR for sedimentary DNA was applied on sediment-core samples collected from anoxic bottom sediments in Beppu Bay, Japan. The DNA of three dominant fish species (anchovy, sardine, and jack mackerel) were quantified in sediment sequences spanning the last 300 years. Temporal changes in fish DNA concentrations are consistent with those of landings in Japan for all three species and with those of sardine fish scale concentrations. Thus, sedimentary DNA could be used to track decadal-centennial dynamics of fish abundance in marine waters.
Highlights
Far too little is known about the long-term dynamics of populations for almost all macroorganisms
Long-term fish abundance records based on landing data have been used by many studies on biological and physical fields of research[8,9], fisheries management[10], and various analyses associated with issues on economic, food, and ecosystem security[11,12]
Our results demonstrate that sedimentary DNA (sedDNA) records past decadal–centennial changes in given fish species abundance in the water and may be an independent proxy of fish abundance, in addition to fish scales which were used in previous studies[17,18,19,20]
Summary
Far too little is known about the long-term dynamics of populations for almost all macroorganisms. These studies investigated a variety of subjects; i.e., major changes in species composition[4,5], extinct biota[4,5], livestock farming history associated with the Anthropocene[3], and the identification of a taxon as a native or alien fish species in lake ecosystems[6,7] These studies demonstrated that sedDNA is a potentially powerful tool that could be used to detect the “presence/absence” of a taxon and reconstruct past species compositions for macro-organisms. Records that extend beyond the currently available historical period are needed to define variability in fish species abundance accurately, and their responses to long-term climate change This information could be used to inform fishery management, fishery resource utilization, and risk assessment for species extinction in the coming decades and century.
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
