Environmental DNA最新文献

{"title":"Contaminant-Driven Modulation of Environmental DNA and RNA in Aquatic Systems","authors":"Marie-Lee Castonguay,&nbsp;Tuan Anh To,&nbsp;Fidji Sandré,&nbsp;Léo Sillon,&nbsp;Guillaume Côté,&nbsp;Valerie S. Langlois","doi":"10.1002/edn3.70266","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70266","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Metals and microplastics rank among the most concerning contaminants in aquatic environments due to their persistence, ubiquity, and impacts on ecosystem stability and living organisms' health. The use of environmental DNA and environmental RNA (also called eDNA and eRNA) for biomonitoring has been suggested to assess the effects of these contaminants on aquatic species distribution, behavior, and/or health. However, understanding the impact of contaminants directly on the ecology of environmental nucleic acids (eNAs) could lead to a better interpretation of the data during monitoring surveys in polluted environments. In this study, we assessed the influence of lead (Pb) and polyethylene (PE) microbeads on both eDNA and eRNA production and persistence in juvenile landlocked salmons (<i>Salmo salar</i>) and American eels (<i>Anguilla rostrata</i>) through a series of controlled laboratory experiments. Data show no effect of Pb on eNA production following an exposure of 48 h at a concentration of 0.1 mg/L. The persistence was not affected either by this metal. On the other hand, exposure of fish individuals to 1 mg/L of PE microbeads led to increased eRNA levels during the production phase, which may be associated with an upregulation of genes associated with a generalized stressing event. Microplastics also led to a slower degradation of eNA molecules, allowing a longer persistence of the genetic material in aquatic ecosystems. Further investigations are needed to fully understand the direct and indirect interactions between contaminants and environmental nucleic acids. Thus, this would allow a better interpretation of the data during monitoring surveys, especially in contaminated environments.</p>","PeriodicalId":52828,"journal":{"name":"Environmental DNA","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-20","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/edn3.70266","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147567468","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Primer Length in Reverse Transcription Determines Biodiversity Recovery and Reproducibility in eRNA Metabarcoding","authors":"Fuwen Wang,&nbsp;Wei Xiong,&nbsp;Xuena Huang,&nbsp;Aibin Zhan","doi":"10.1002/edn3.70267","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70267","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Environmental RNA (eRNA)-based techniques have rapidly emerged as powerful tools for biodiversity assessment across a range of theoretical and applied disciplines. Reverse transcription, the process of converting eRNA into complementary DNA (cDNA), is a crucial step in eRNA-based assessments. However, primer length optimization for reverse transcription is often overlooked. Here we evaluated how varying primer lengths affected two key parameters—biodiversity recovery and reproducibility—across the two best-performing reverse transcription strategies: random priming and oligo(dT) priming for eukaryotic eRNA-metabarcoding. Using fish eRNA collected from a coastal zone, we conducted technical replicates to assess the performance of primer lengths ranging from 4-mer to 30-mer for both strategies. Our results showed that primer length significantly affected biodiversity recovery, reproducibility, and community structure of replicates. Specifically, shorter primers, particularly N₄ and N₅, in random priming and medium-length primers (T₁₅-₂₄), particularly T₂₀, in oligo(dT) priming demonstrated superior performance, especially in detecting biodiversity in the rare biosphere. A comparative analysis of random and oligo(dT) primers highlighted the advantage of shorter random primers in improving biodiversity detection sensitivity and consistency. To explicitly reduce false negatives arising from reliance on a single reverse transcription strategy, we recommend the combined use of short random primers (e.g., N₄ and N₅) alongside medium-length primers (e.g., T₂₀) to enhance comprehensive biodiversity recovery. Our findings provide valuable insights for improving the accuracy and reliability of eRNA-metabarcoding in biodiversity assessments, thus facilitating the development of standardized methods to enable cross-laboratory comparisons and ensure consistent, robust outcomes in large-scale meta-analyses.</p>","PeriodicalId":52828,"journal":{"name":"Environmental DNA","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/edn3.70267","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147566654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Primer Length in Reverse Transcription Determines Biodiversity Recovery and Reproducibility in eRNA Metabarcoding","authors":"Fuwen Wang,&nbsp;Wei Xiong,&nbsp;Xuena Huang,&nbsp;Aibin Zhan","doi":"10.1002/edn3.70267","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70267","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Environmental RNA (eRNA)-based techniques have rapidly emerged as powerful tools for biodiversity assessment across a range of theoretical and applied disciplines. Reverse transcription, the process of converting eRNA into complementary DNA (cDNA), is a crucial step in eRNA-based assessments. However, primer length optimization for reverse transcription is often overlooked. Here we evaluated how varying primer lengths affected two key parameters—biodiversity recovery and reproducibility—across the two best-performing reverse transcription strategies: random priming and oligo(dT) priming for eukaryotic eRNA-metabarcoding. Using fish eRNA collected from a coastal zone, we conducted technical replicates to assess the performance of primer lengths ranging from 4-mer to 30-mer for both strategies. Our results showed that primer length significantly affected biodiversity recovery, reproducibility, and community structure of replicates. Specifically, shorter primers, particularly N₄ and N₅, in random priming and medium-length primers (T₁₅-₂₄), particularly T₂₀, in oligo(dT) priming demonstrated superior performance, especially in detecting biodiversity in the rare biosphere. A comparative analysis of random and oligo(dT) primers highlighted the advantage of shorter random primers in improving biodiversity detection sensitivity and consistency. To explicitly reduce false negatives arising from reliance on a single reverse transcription strategy, we recommend the combined use of short random primers (e.g., N₄ and N₅) alongside medium-length primers (e.g., T₂₀) to enhance comprehensive biodiversity recovery. Our findings provide valuable insights for improving the accuracy and reliability of eRNA-metabarcoding in biodiversity assessments, thus facilitating the development of standardized methods to enable cross-laboratory comparisons and ensure consistent, robust outcomes in large-scale meta-analyses.</p>","PeriodicalId":52828,"journal":{"name":"Environmental DNA","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/edn3.70267","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147566657","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel Assay for Endangered Hong Kong Grouper (Epinephelus akaara) to Assess eDNA Shedding, Decay, and Population Status","authors":"Arthur Chung,&nbsp;Yan Chit Kam,&nbsp;Celia Schunter","doi":"10.1002/edn3.70264","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70264","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Hong Kong Grouper (<i>Epinephelus akaara</i>) is a commercial fish species that suffered at least 50%–80% population declines in the past 40 years throughout its distribution range due to overexploitation. Yet, limited research on distribution and habitat utilization resulted in a lack of species-specific management strategies. Here we aim to utilize environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis as a potential tool for species detection and to provide both shedding and decay rate for future application in persistence prediction models. We first develop a novel, species-specific, sensitive, quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay amplifying 71 bp of the mitochondrial ND2 gene. From a mesocosm experiment, we found the decay rate (0.131 ± 0.0111/h) of <i>E. akaara</i> to be similar to other reported marine fish species. However, the shedding rate of <i>E. akaara</i> (1.94 × 10⁴ ± 2.07 × 10³ copies/h/g) is generally lower than reported values of other species, likely due to the relatively low activity and energy use from solitary and sedentary behavior of groupers. This highlights the importance of empirically determining species or taxon-specific shedding and decay rates to inform accurate abundance estimates with modeling tools for eDNA concentrations. Out of 88 water filters collected across four sampling seasons and 11 sites in Hong Kong, six samples from four different sites showed positive amplification. No samples were measured at a concentration above limit of detection of the assay, and this rarity is consistent with current observational data. Overall, we demonstrate that eDNA with qPCR assay is a promising tool to fill in knowledge gaps of endangered species with insufficient species management and conservation across its distribution.</p>","PeriodicalId":52828,"journal":{"name":"Environmental DNA","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/edn3.70264","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147564676","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Novel Assay for Endangered Hong Kong Grouper (Epinephelus akaara) to Assess eDNA Shedding, Decay, and Population Status","authors":"Arthur Chung,&nbsp;Yan Chit Kam,&nbsp;Celia Schunter","doi":"10.1002/edn3.70264","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70264","url":null,"abstract":"<p>The Hong Kong Grouper (<i>Epinephelus akaara</i>) is a commercial fish species that suffered at least 50%–80% population declines in the past 40 years throughout its distribution range due to overexploitation. Yet, limited research on distribution and habitat utilization resulted in a lack of species-specific management strategies. Here we aim to utilize environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis as a potential tool for species detection and to provide both shedding and decay rate for future application in persistence prediction models. We first develop a novel, species-specific, sensitive, quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay amplifying 71 bp of the mitochondrial ND2 gene. From a mesocosm experiment, we found the decay rate (0.131 ± 0.0111/h) of <i>E. akaara</i> to be similar to other reported marine fish species. However, the shedding rate of <i>E. akaara</i> (1.94 × 10⁴ ± 2.07 × 10³ copies/h/g) is generally lower than reported values of other species, likely due to the relatively low activity and energy use from solitary and sedentary behavior of groupers. This highlights the importance of empirically determining species or taxon-specific shedding and decay rates to inform accurate abundance estimates with modeling tools for eDNA concentrations. Out of 88 water filters collected across four sampling seasons and 11 sites in Hong Kong, six samples from four different sites showed positive amplification. No samples were measured at a concentration above limit of detection of the assay, and this rarity is consistent with current observational data. Overall, we demonstrate that eDNA with qPCR assay is a promising tool to fill in knowledge gaps of endangered species with insufficient species management and conservation across its distribution.</p>","PeriodicalId":52828,"journal":{"name":"Environmental DNA","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/edn3.70264","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147564603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of eNA Sampling for Early Detection of Pathogens in On-Farm Water Sources","authors":"Maxine P. Piggott,&nbsp;Allyson Malpartida","doi":"10.1002/edn3.70260","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70260","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Early detection of livestock pathogens is critical for mitigating risk and implementing timely control or eradication responses. Conventional surveillance methods rely on host sampling, which constrains both spatial and temporal coverage. Environmental nucleic acid (eNA) sampling from livestock water troughs offers a promising alternative for detecting microbial and viral communities associated with livestock health and may facilitate early warning of disease presence. In this study, we evaluated four eNA water sampling methods: syringe, cartridge, funnel and passive filter, for their effectiveness in capturing bacterial and viral eNA communities from livestock troughs. Quantitative PCR was used to assess eNA yield and amplification performance, while 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding and RNA-based viromic (metatranscriptomic) sequencing were used to characterize bacterial and viral community composition and evaluate the effects of sampling method, pore size, and filter material. Filter pore size had the strongest effect on filtered volume but did not significantly influence downstream analysis of microbial and viral community composition. Sampling method and site had the greatest influence on bacterial diversity, whereas viral diversity was influenced by sampling method and RNA concentration. Syringe filters were the most cost-effective method, supporting their suitability for large-scale, industry or landholder led sampling programs. Cartridge filters filtered greater volumes and provided higher richness and may be more suitable for detecting low-abundance targets. Passive filters, which integrate eNA over longer deployment periods, may improve detection of intermittently shed pathogens, though logistical constraints remain. By comparing cost, volume, nucleic acid yield, and community profile, we provide practical guidance for selecting eNA sampling methods to support early pathogen detection at livestock water sources. We recommend that eNA-based surveillance can complement existing diagnostic systems to strengthen biosecurity monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":52828,"journal":{"name":"Environmental DNA","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/edn3.70260","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147564281","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Development of eNA Sampling for Early Detection of Pathogens in On-Farm Water Sources","authors":"Maxine P. Piggott,&nbsp;Allyson Malpartida","doi":"10.1002/edn3.70260","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70260","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Early detection of livestock pathogens is critical for mitigating risk and implementing timely control or eradication responses. Conventional surveillance methods rely on host sampling, which constrains both spatial and temporal coverage. Environmental nucleic acid (eNA) sampling from livestock water troughs offers a promising alternative for detecting microbial and viral communities associated with livestock health and may facilitate early warning of disease presence. In this study, we evaluated four eNA water sampling methods: syringe, cartridge, funnel and passive filter, for their effectiveness in capturing bacterial and viral eNA communities from livestock troughs. Quantitative PCR was used to assess eNA yield and amplification performance, while 16S rRNA gene metabarcoding and RNA-based viromic (metatranscriptomic) sequencing were used to characterize bacterial and viral community composition and evaluate the effects of sampling method, pore size, and filter material. Filter pore size had the strongest effect on filtered volume but did not significantly influence downstream analysis of microbial and viral community composition. Sampling method and site had the greatest influence on bacterial diversity, whereas viral diversity was influenced by sampling method and RNA concentration. Syringe filters were the most cost-effective method, supporting their suitability for large-scale, industry or landholder led sampling programs. Cartridge filters filtered greater volumes and provided higher richness and may be more suitable for detecting low-abundance targets. Passive filters, which integrate eNA over longer deployment periods, may improve detection of intermittently shed pathogens, though logistical constraints remain. By comparing cost, volume, nucleic acid yield, and community profile, we provide practical guidance for selecting eNA sampling methods to support early pathogen detection at livestock water sources. We recommend that eNA-based surveillance can complement existing diagnostic systems to strengthen biosecurity monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":52828,"journal":{"name":"Environmental DNA","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/edn3.70260","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147564280","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental DNA Reveals Diverse and Depth-Stratified Biodiversity in East Indian Ocean Submarine Canyons","authors":"Georgia M. Nester,&nbsp;Nerida G. Wilson,&nbsp;Glenn Moore,&nbsp;Andrew M. Hosie,&nbsp;Rachel Przeslawski,&nbsp;Michael Bunce,&nbsp;Lisa Kirkendale,&nbsp;Zoe Richards","doi":"10.1002/edn3.70261","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70261","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Submarine canyons are globally recognized as biodiversity hotspots, yet logistical challenges in accessing deep-sea environments hinder comprehensive surveys of their biota. This study presents the first extensive environmental DNA (eDNA) survey of the Cape Range and Cloates submarine canyons in the East Indian Ocean, integrating eDNA metabarcoding, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) imagery, and specimen collection to develop curated DNA reference sequences. Two metabarcoding assays (COI Leray and 16S Fish) were applied to 178 ten-liter water samples collected across 5 depths: surface, 200, 500, 1000 m, and bottom (1750–4540 m). These assays detected 226 species spanning 126 families, with each canyon revealing unique species. Notably, our study identified 83 putative new records or range extensions, including a range extension for the sleeper shark (<i>Somniosus</i>) and the elusive giant squid (<i>Architeuthis dux</i>), and the first Western Australian record of the faceless cusk eel (<i>Typhlonus nasus</i>). We also detected deep-diving mammals, including the pygmy sperm whale (<i>Kogia breviceps</i>) and Cuvier's beaked whale (<i>Ziphius cavirostris</i>). Our results revealed strong assay-specific differences in vertical stratification patterns, with clear depth-related signals in the COI Leray dataset and weaker, broad-scale separation in the 16S Fish dataset. These disparities likely reflect the biological characteristics of the target taxa for each assay, as well as the dynamic nature of submarine canyons influencing vertical mixing. Together, these findings highlight the complexity of interpreting spatial biodiversity patterns using eDNA and the necessity of considering biological, ecological, and physical context of both target taxa and environment in future studies. Our work demonstrates the efficacy of eDNA metabarcoding in exploring submarine canyon biodiversity and its potential for characterizing biodiversity in unexplored deep-sea habitats. The implementation of eDNA metabarcoding in deep-sea research shows promise as a tool for establishing ecological baselines and informing conservation practices as growing anthropogenic pressures threaten these unique ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":52828,"journal":{"name":"Environmental DNA","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/edn3.70261","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147563826","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Environmental DNA Reveals Diverse and Depth-Stratified Biodiversity in East Indian Ocean Submarine Canyons","authors":"Georgia M. Nester,&nbsp;Nerida G. Wilson,&nbsp;Glenn Moore,&nbsp;Andrew M. Hosie,&nbsp;Rachel Przeslawski,&nbsp;Michael Bunce,&nbsp;Lisa Kirkendale,&nbsp;Zoe Richards","doi":"10.1002/edn3.70261","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70261","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Submarine canyons are globally recognized as biodiversity hotspots, yet logistical challenges in accessing deep-sea environments hinder comprehensive surveys of their biota. This study presents the first extensive environmental DNA (eDNA) survey of the Cape Range and Cloates submarine canyons in the East Indian Ocean, integrating eDNA metabarcoding, remotely operated vehicle (ROV) imagery, and specimen collection to develop curated DNA reference sequences. Two metabarcoding assays (COI Leray and 16S Fish) were applied to 178 ten-liter water samples collected across 5 depths: surface, 200, 500, 1000 m, and bottom (1750–4540 m). These assays detected 226 species spanning 126 families, with each canyon revealing unique species. Notably, our study identified 83 putative new records or range extensions, including a range extension for the sleeper shark (<i>Somniosus</i>) and the elusive giant squid (<i>Architeuthis dux</i>), and the first Western Australian record of the faceless cusk eel (<i>Typhlonus nasus</i>). We also detected deep-diving mammals, including the pygmy sperm whale (<i>Kogia breviceps</i>) and Cuvier's beaked whale (<i>Ziphius cavirostris</i>). Our results revealed strong assay-specific differences in vertical stratification patterns, with clear depth-related signals in the COI Leray dataset and weaker, broad-scale separation in the 16S Fish dataset. These disparities likely reflect the biological characteristics of the target taxa for each assay, as well as the dynamic nature of submarine canyons influencing vertical mixing. Together, these findings highlight the complexity of interpreting spatial biodiversity patterns using eDNA and the necessity of considering biological, ecological, and physical context of both target taxa and environment in future studies. Our work demonstrates the efficacy of eDNA metabarcoding in exploring submarine canyon biodiversity and its potential for characterizing biodiversity in unexplored deep-sea habitats. The implementation of eDNA metabarcoding in deep-sea research shows promise as a tool for establishing ecological baselines and informing conservation practices as growing anthropogenic pressures threaten these unique ecosystems.</p>","PeriodicalId":52828,"journal":{"name":"Environmental DNA","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/edn3.70261","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147563827","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Passive Gauze-Based eDNA Sampler Proves Efficient and Cost-Effective in the Marine Environment","authors":"Molly M. Kressler,&nbsp;Lucy Whitelegg,&nbsp;Benedict Tutt-Leppard,&nbsp;Andrew Matthews,&nbsp;Dave Hudson,&nbsp;Richard B. Sherley","doi":"10.1002/edn3.70256","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70256","url":null,"abstract":"<p>While environmental DNA (eDNA) is an increasingly valuable tool for marine biodiversity monitoring, the high cost of conventional eDNA sampling methods may limit long-term or large-scale applications. Here, we present the first empirical comparison of the metaprobe 2.0, a low-cost, passive eDNA sampler, against an industry standard Sterivex filtration method using dip-collected 1-L water samples (“water bottles”). Although the metaprobe has been used in a limited number of prior studies—primarily in comparison to traditional net-based sampling—its adoption remains limited, and this is the first study to benchmark its performance directly against a widely used eDNA sampling methodology. Across 14 joint deployments, we assessed detection and quantification of eDNA of two elasmobranch and two teleost species. While Sterivex filters outperformed metaprobes in detecting copies of DNA, metaprobes showed comparable detection performance within biologically significant margins and exhibited a lower variance among sampling replicates. Our study is the next step in the upscaling of this passive sampler and establishes a workflow for integrating metaprobes into biodiversity and species monitoring in marine ecology. We outline the methodological deviations from a “traditional” Sterivex filter eDNA workflow and identify how metaprobes might widen the accessibility of eDNA monitoring in the future through their simple yet effective sampling, filtering, and preservation protocols.</p>","PeriodicalId":52828,"journal":{"name":"Environmental DNA","volume":"8 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-03-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/edn3.70256","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147563412","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}