Enhancing tropical conservation and ecology research with aquatic environmental DNA methods: an introduction for non-environmental DNA specialists

Journal Publication ResearchOnline@JCU
Huerlimann, R.;Cooper, M.K.;Edmunds, R.C.;Villacorta-Rath, C.;Le Port, A.;Robson, H.L.A.;Strugnell, J.M.;Burrows, D.;Jerry, D.R.
Abstract

Biodiversity conservation is a worldwide concern and proper management of threatened species or communities depends on reliable and accurate data collection. Despite the broad utility of environmental DNA (eDNA) for conservation management and the necessity for appropriate biodiversity management in the tropics, eDNA-based research conducted in tropical regions so far comprises only a small proportion of the cumulative eDNA literature. To address the growing demand for rapid and reliable species and community level ecological data in tropical regions, we provide an aquatic eDNA-focused review of (1) challenges and considerations for sampling design and inference of eDNA data in the tropics, and (2) eDNA applications relevant to ecological research and biodiversity management in the tropics. We propose that the collaborative incorporation of eDNA sampling with conventional field surveys harbours the potential to revolutionize the effectiveness of biodiversity conservation management in tropical regions.

Journal

Animal Conservation

Publication Name

N/A

Volume

23

ISBN/ISSN

1469-1795

Edition

N/A

Issue

6

Pages Count

14

Location

N/A

Publisher

Zoological Society of London

Publisher Url

N/A

Publisher Location

N/A

Publish Date

N/A

Url

N/A

Date

N/A

EISSN

N/A

DOI

10.1111.acv.12583