Collins, RA, Wangensteen, OS, O'Gorman, EJ, Mariani, S, Sims, DW and Genner, MJ (2018) Persistence of environmental DNA in marine systems. Communications Biology, 1. ISSN 2399-3642

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Abstract

As environmental DNA (eDNA) becomes an increasingly valuable resource for marine ecosystem monitoring, understanding variation in its persistence across contrasting environments is critical. Here, we quantify the breakdown of macrobial eDNA over a spatio-temporal axis of locally extreme conditions, varying from ocean-influenced offshore to urban-inshore, and between winter and summer. We report that eDNA degrades 1.6 times faster in the inshore environment than the offshore environment, but contrary to expectation we find no difference over season. Analysis of environmental covariables show a spatial gradient of salinity and a temporal gradient of pH, with salinity—or the biotic correlates thereof—most important. Based on our estimated inshore eDNA half-life and naturally occurring eDNA concentrations, we estimate that eDNA may be detected for around 48 h, offering potential to collect ecological community data of high local fidelity. We conclude by placing these results in the context of previously published eDNA decay rates.

Item Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Science & Technology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; Biology; Multidisciplinary Sciences; Life Sciences & Biomedicine - Other Topics; Science & Technology - Other Topics; EXTRACELLULAR DNA; DECAY-RATES; EDNA; DEGRADATION; BIODIVERSITY; TEMPERATURE; CAPTURE; QUANTIFICATION; ASSAYS; QPCR
Subjects:	Q Science > QH Natural history > QH301 Biology Q Science > QH Natural history > QH426 Genetics Q Science > QL Zoology
Divisions:	Biological & Environmental Sciences (from Sep 19)
Publisher:	Nature Publishing Group
Related URLs:	Author
Date Deposited:	06 Mar 2020 10:19
Last Modified:	04 Sep 2021 07:46
DOI or ID number:	10.1038/s42003-018-0192-6
URI:	https://researchonline.ljmu.ac.uk/id/eprint/12409

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