Detailed Record



Detection of fish sedimentary DNA in aquatic systems: A review of methodological challenges and future opportunities


Abstract Environmental DNA studies have proliferated over the last decade, with promising data describing the diversity of organisms inhabiting aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems. The recovery of DNA present in the sediment of aquatic systems (sedDNA) has provided short‐ and long‐term data on a wide range of biological groups (e.g., photosynthetic organisms, zooplankton species) and has advanced our understanding of how environmental changes have affected aquatic communities. However, substantial challenges remain for recovering the genetic material of macro‐organisms (e.g., fish) from sediments, preventing complete reconstructions of past aquatic ecosystems, and limiting our understanding of historic, higher trophic level interactions. In this review, we outline the biotic and abiotic factors affecting the production, persistence, and transport of fish DNA from the water column to the sediments, and address questions regarding the preservation of fish DNA in sediment. We identify sources of uncertainties around the recovery of fish sedDNA arising during the sedDNA workflow. This includes methodological issues related to experimental design, DNA extraction procedures, and the selected molecular method (quantitative PCR, digital PCR, metabarcoding, metagenomics). By evaluating previous efforts (published and unpublished works) to recover fish sedDNA signals, we provide suggestions for future research and propose troubleshooting workflows for the effective detection and quantification of fish sedDNA. With further research, the use of sedDNA has the potential to be a powerful tool for inferring fish presence over time and reconstructing their population and community dynamics.
Authors Grayson Huston ORCID , Mark Louie D. Lopez ORCID , Yuanyu Cheng ORCID , Leighton King ORCID , Lucinda Cameron Duxbury ORCID , Maïlys Picard ORCID , Georgia Thomson‐Laing ORCID , Erika Myler , Caren C. Helbing ORCID , Michael T. Kinnison ORCID , Jasmine E. Saros ORCID , Irene Gregory‐Eaves ORCID , Marie‐Ève Monchamp ORCID , Susanna A. Wood ORCID , Linda Armbrecht ORCID , Gentile Francesco Ficetola ORCID , Lenka Kurte ORCID , Jordan Von Eggers University of WyomingORCID , Janice Brahney ORCID , Gérard Parent ORCID , Masato Sakata ORCID , Hideyuki Doi ORCID , Éric Capo ORCID
Journal Info Wiley | Environmental DNA , vol: 5 , iss: 6 , pages: 1449 - 1472
Publication Date 8/28/2023
ISSN 2637-4943
TypeKeyword Image review
Open Access gold Gold Access
DOI https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.467
KeywordsKeyword Image Environmental DNA (Score: 0.59051) , DNA Barcoding (Score: 0.509896)