Optimizing eDNA Metabarcoding Techniques for Assessing Arthropod Communities in Tree‐Related Microhabitats

ABSTRACT Understanding the diversity and ecological roles of arthropods within tree‐related microhabitats (TreMs) is crucial for forest ecosystem conservation and management. In our study, we aimed to identify the most effective environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach for capturing ecologica...

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Main Authors: Mohammad Jamil Shuvo, Tasmina Tabassum, Gernot Segelbacher
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2025-01-01
Series:Environmental DNA
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70064
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author Mohammad Jamil Shuvo
Tasmina Tabassum
Gernot Segelbacher
author_facet Mohammad Jamil Shuvo
Tasmina Tabassum
Gernot Segelbacher
author_sort Mohammad Jamil Shuvo
collection DOAJ
description ABSTRACT Understanding the diversity and ecological roles of arthropods within tree‐related microhabitats (TreMs) is crucial for forest ecosystem conservation and management. In our study, we aimed to identify the most effective environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach for capturing ecologically important arthropod species primarily inhabiting the near‐ground‐level TreMs. We evaluated the use of COI and 16S primers for eDNA metabarcoding and compared direct and indirect eDNA sampling methods, including lying deadwood sediment sampling (LDS), standing deadwood sediment sampling (SDS), soil sampling (SS), and tree surface roller sampling (TSRS). Our results indicated significant biases and challenges, particularly in primer selection, with COI outperforming 16S in taxonomic resolution for most arthropod taxa. Our TSRS method effectively captured 408 OTUs at the species level, with the highest number of ecologically significant arthropods associated with TreMs compared to other approaches. Direct sampling from sediments revealed a higher abundance of fungi than arthropods, impacting diversity estimates. We also observed habitat‐specific preferences among arthropods, with certain sampling methods capturing distinct taxa. Our findings underscore the importance of carefully selecting sampling methods and validating primers in eDNA metabarcoding studies and provide insights into the complexity of arthropod communities in TreMs. Optimized methods will advance monitoring techniques for forest ecosystems and inform conservation efforts to preserve arthropod diversity in TreMs.
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spelling doaj-art-2a8cbaffbc8b4c5a8d6aa65995f7fbc22025-08-20T03:16:31ZengWileyEnvironmental DNA2637-49432025-01-0171n/an/a10.1002/edn3.70064Optimizing eDNA Metabarcoding Techniques for Assessing Arthropod Communities in Tree‐Related MicrohabitatsMohammad Jamil Shuvo0Tasmina Tabassum1Gernot Segelbacher2Chair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Faculty of Environment & Natural Resources, Institute of Forest Sciences University of Freiburg Freiburg GermanyFaculty of Agriculture, Agricultural Sciences and Resource Management in the Tropics and Subtropics (ARTS) University of Bonn Bonn GermanyChair of Wildlife Ecology and Management, Faculty of Environment & Natural Resources, Institute of Forest Sciences University of Freiburg Freiburg GermanyABSTRACT Understanding the diversity and ecological roles of arthropods within tree‐related microhabitats (TreMs) is crucial for forest ecosystem conservation and management. In our study, we aimed to identify the most effective environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding approach for capturing ecologically important arthropod species primarily inhabiting the near‐ground‐level TreMs. We evaluated the use of COI and 16S primers for eDNA metabarcoding and compared direct and indirect eDNA sampling methods, including lying deadwood sediment sampling (LDS), standing deadwood sediment sampling (SDS), soil sampling (SS), and tree surface roller sampling (TSRS). Our results indicated significant biases and challenges, particularly in primer selection, with COI outperforming 16S in taxonomic resolution for most arthropod taxa. Our TSRS method effectively captured 408 OTUs at the species level, with the highest number of ecologically significant arthropods associated with TreMs compared to other approaches. Direct sampling from sediments revealed a higher abundance of fungi than arthropods, impacting diversity estimates. We also observed habitat‐specific preferences among arthropods, with certain sampling methods capturing distinct taxa. Our findings underscore the importance of carefully selecting sampling methods and validating primers in eDNA metabarcoding studies and provide insights into the complexity of arthropod communities in TreMs. Optimized methods will advance monitoring techniques for forest ecosystems and inform conservation efforts to preserve arthropod diversity in TreMs.https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70064arthropodsCOI markerdeadwoodeDNA metabarcodingTreMs
spellingShingle Mohammad Jamil Shuvo
Tasmina Tabassum
Gernot Segelbacher
Optimizing eDNA Metabarcoding Techniques for Assessing Arthropod Communities in Tree‐Related Microhabitats
Environmental DNA
arthropods
COI marker
deadwood
eDNA metabarcoding
TreMs
title Optimizing eDNA Metabarcoding Techniques for Assessing Arthropod Communities in Tree‐Related Microhabitats
title_full Optimizing eDNA Metabarcoding Techniques for Assessing Arthropod Communities in Tree‐Related Microhabitats
title_fullStr Optimizing eDNA Metabarcoding Techniques for Assessing Arthropod Communities in Tree‐Related Microhabitats
title_full_unstemmed Optimizing eDNA Metabarcoding Techniques for Assessing Arthropod Communities in Tree‐Related Microhabitats
title_short Optimizing eDNA Metabarcoding Techniques for Assessing Arthropod Communities in Tree‐Related Microhabitats
title_sort optimizing edna metabarcoding techniques for assessing arthropod communities in tree related microhabitats
topic arthropods
COI marker
deadwood
eDNA metabarcoding
TreMs
url https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70064
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AT tasminatabassum optimizingednametabarcodingtechniquesforassessingarthropodcommunitiesintreerelatedmicrohabitats
AT gernotsegelbacher optimizingednametabarcodingtechniquesforassessingarthropodcommunitiesintreerelatedmicrohabitats