RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 eDNA Captures Microhabitat Partitioning in a Kelp Forest Ecosystem
JF bioRxiv
FD Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory
SP 2021.06.01.446542
DO 10.1101/2021.06.01.446542
A1 Keira Monuki
A1 Paul H. Barber
A1 Zachary Gold
YR 2021
UL http://biorxiv.org/content/early/2021/06/01/2021.06.01.446542.abstract
AB Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is an increasingly important tool for surveying biodiversity in marine ecosystems. However, the scale of temporal and spatial variability in eDNA signatures, and how this variation may impact eDNA-based marine biodiversity assessments, remains uncertain. To address this question, we systematically examined variation in vertebrate eDNA signatures across depth (0 m to 10 m) and horizontal space (nearshore and surf zone) over three successive days in a Southern California kelp forest. Across a broad range of marine vertebrates (teleosts, elasmobranchs, birds, and mammals), results showed significant variation in species richness and community assemblages across 4-5 m depth, reflecting microhabitat depth preferences of common Southern California nearshore rocky reef taxa. We also found significant differences in community assemblages between nearshore and surf zone sampling stations at the same depth, and across three sampling days. Patterns of microhabitat partitioning in eDNA signatures across space and time were largely consistent with known habitat preferences and species behavior. Results highlight the sensitivity of eDNA in capturing fine-scale vertical, horizontal, and temporal variation in marine vertebrate communities, demonstrating the ability of eDNA to capture a highly localized snapshot of marine biodiversity in dynamic coastal environments.Competing Interest StatementThe authors have declared no competing interest.