Uses and Misuses of Environmental DNA in Biodiversity Science and Conservation

By M. Cristescu, Paul D. N. Hebert. Annual Review of Ecology, Evolution and Systematics, 2018

287 citations recorded by the source corpus.

The study of environmental DNA (eDNA) has the potential to revolutionize biodiversity science and conservation action by enabling the census of species on a global scale in near real time. To achieve this promise, technical challenges must be resolved. In this review, we explore the main uses of eDNA as well as the complexities introduced by its misuse. Current eDNA methods require refinement and improved calibration and validation along the entire workflow to lessen false positives/negatives. Moreover, there is great need for a better understanding of the “natural history” of eDNA—its origins, state, lifetime, and transportation—and for more detailed insights concerning the physical and ecological limitations of eDNA use. Although eDNA analysis can provide powerful information, particularly in freshwater and marine environments, its impact is likely to be less significant in terrestrial settings. The broad adoption of eDNA tools in conservation will largely depend on addressing current uncertainties in data interpretation.

Subfields: Ecology, Molecular Biology

View Paper: https://www.semanticscholar.org/paper/89e5a4d26ca2c8770e8f1b844a84b9327be62a5b

How researchers see this paper

The researchers whose trusted networks rank it highest, strongest advocate first. Every researcher gets a different order.

In Ecology

1. Elise Furlan
2. L. Sousa
3. Raquel Xavier
4. R. Pringle
5. S. Silva
6. Matthew C. Hutchinson
7. M. Broadhurst
8. J. DiBattista

In Molecular Biology

1. Elise Furlan
2. L. Sousa
3. Raquel Xavier
4. R. Pringle
5. S. Silva
6. Matthew C. Hutchinson
7. J. DiBattista

Citations in the corpus

• Resolving Food-Web Structure (2020, methodology): “Here, we provide a minimalist overview of these methods and refer readers to recent reviews for details, caveats, and best-practice guidelines (Cristescu & Hebert 2018, Taberlet et al. 2018, Deagle et al. 2019).”
• DNA metabarcoding in diet studies: Unveiling ecological aspects in aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems (2019, background): “The emerging analysis of environmental DNA (eDNA—a molecular‐ based approach to identify remnant DNA in the environment) is an‐ other significant advance of metabarcoding approaches (reviewed by Cristescu & Hebert, 2018).”
• Environmental DNA (eDNA) as a tool for assessing fish biomass: A review of approaches and future considerations for resource surveys (2021, background): “Most of the early research on eDNA was constrained to detecting species presence (Cristescu & Hebert, 2018; Deiner et al., 2017; Evans & Lamberti, 2018; Rees et al., 2014; Thomsen & Willerslev, 2015).”
• Uncovering the complete biodiversity structure in spatial networks: the example of riverine systems (2020, unknown): “2017a, Cristescu and Hebert 2018).”