Biodiversity in coastal marine environments is under unprecedented threat from the changing climate, pollution, and other anthropogenic disturbances. To better evaluate such impacts, it is imperative that more accurate, cost-effective and expedient methods of assessing biodiversity are developed. The analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA), the term used to describe genetic material shed by organisms into an environment, can paint a detailed picture of fish diversity in marine coastal environments. At present, eDNA for use in this context is typically obtained by way of water samples that have been actively passed through artificial filters; but more recently, analysis of natural sampler DNA (nsDNA) has emerged as a potential alternative. Natural samplers are usually filter-feeding invertebrates that naturally trap environmental DNA in their tissues. In this study, we explore whether two natural samplers present in differing habitats - i) benthic sea anemone (Actinia equina) ii) pelagic jellyfish (Aurelia solida, Rhizostoma pulmo, Aequorea forskalea) - are successful nsDNA candidates. Amplification of samples with fish-specific primers revealed that both these natural samplers successfully detected a range of fish and other vertebrate species expected in their respective benthic (sea anemone) and pelagic (jellyfish) environments. We also observed significant differences in the species detected through using nsDNA when directly compared to conventional eDNA samples. This indicates the value of using nsDNA alongside established eDNA methods to achieve a more comprehensive and accurate picture of an ecosystem’s biodiversity.

Primary Presenter: Alice Cunnington, Liverpool John Moores University (alicevcunnington@gmail.com)

Authors:

Alice Cunnington,   ()

Courtney May,   ()

Peter Shum,   ()

Craig Wilding,   ()

Stefano Mariani,   ()