Environmental DNA metabarcoding: Transforming how we survey animal and plant communities

The genomic revolution has fundamentally changed how we survey biodiversity on earth. High-throughput sequencing ("HTS") platforms now enable the rapid sequencing of DNA from diverse kinds of environmental samples (termed "environmental DNA" or "eDNA"). Coupling HTS with our ability to associate sequences from eDNA with a taxonomic name is called "eDNA metabarcoding" and offers a powerful molecular tool capable of noninvasively surveying species richness from many ecosystems. Here, we review the use of eDNA metabarcoding for surveying animal and plant richness, and the challenges in using eDNA approaches to estimate relative abundance. We highlight eDNA applications in freshwater, marine and terrestrial…

• NS
  National Science Foundation

  Awards: 1262480, EF‐1427157, DBI-1262480, DBI‐1262480, 1427157, EF-1427157
• UD
  U.S. Department of Defense

  Awards: W912HQ-12-C-0073 (RC-2240), W912HQ‐12‐C‐0073 (RC‐2240)
• ES
  Ecological Society of America
• LC
  Llywodraeth Cymru
• SR
  Sight Research UK

  Awards: NE/N003756/1, NE/N006216/1, NE/N005724/1, NBAF010002
• EC
  European Cooperation in Science and Technology

  Award: CA15219
• SN
  Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung

  Award: PP00P3_150698
• BU
  Bangor University
• NB
  NERC Biomolecular Analysis Facility

  Awards: NE/N006216/1, NE/N003756/1
• NO
  National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
• SE
  Strategic Environmental Research and Development Program
• NE
  Natural Environment Research Council

  Awards: NE/N006216/1, NE/N006216/1, NBAF824 2013‐14, NBAF824 2013-14, NE/N005724/1, NE/N003756/1, NE/N003756/1, NBAF010002
• CF
  Center for Sponsored Coastal Ocean Research
• ES
  European Social Fund