Revealing Elasmobranch Distributions in Turbid Coastal Waters: Insights From Environmental DNA and Particle Tracking
ABSTRACT Many sharks, rays and skates are highly threatened and vulnerable to overexploitation, as such reliable monitoring of elasmobranchs is key to effective management and conservation. The mobile and elusive nature of these species makes monitoring challenging, particularly in temperate waters...
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Wiley
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70857 |
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| author | Nick Dunn Sophie Ward Joanna Barker Jake Davies Sarah Davies Ben Wray Peter Robins Isabelle Apetroaie Jake Williams Kevin Hopkins David Curnick |
| author_facet | Nick Dunn Sophie Ward Joanna Barker Jake Davies Sarah Davies Ben Wray Peter Robins Isabelle Apetroaie Jake Williams Kevin Hopkins David Curnick |
| author_sort | Nick Dunn |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | ABSTRACT Many sharks, rays and skates are highly threatened and vulnerable to overexploitation, as such reliable monitoring of elasmobranchs is key to effective management and conservation. The mobile and elusive nature of these species makes monitoring challenging, particularly in temperate waters with low visibility. Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods present an opportunity to study these species in the absence of visual identification or invasive techniques. However, eDNA data alone can be difficult to interpret for species monitoring, particularly in a marine setting where its distribution can be influenced by water currents. In this study, we investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of elasmobranch species in two Special Areas for Conservation (SAC) off the coast of Wales. We took monthly eDNA samples for 1 year (starting September 2020 and March 2022 for the northern and southern SACs, respectively), and used metabarcoding to reveal the presence of elasmobranch species. We combined these data with hydrodynamic modelling and particle tracking methods to simulate the potential origins of the detected eDNA. We detected 11 elasmobranch species, including the critically endangered angelshark (Squatina squatina) and tope (Galeorhinus galeus). Most detections were in the spring and the fewest in the autumn. The particle tracking simulations predicted that eDNA was shed, on average, approximately 7 km and 15 km (in the northern and southern SACs, respectively) from the sampling stations at which it was detected. These results show that the two SACs represent important areas for elasmobranchs in the United Kingdom and demonstrate that eDNA methods combined with particle tracking simulations can represent a new frontier for monitoring marine species. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-74d2e119156145dbb6a1dd76ee0ac6e8 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2045-7758 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-74d2e119156145dbb6a1dd76ee0ac6e82025-01-29T05:08:42ZengWileyEcology and Evolution2045-77582025-01-01151n/an/a10.1002/ece3.70857Revealing Elasmobranch Distributions in Turbid Coastal Waters: Insights From Environmental DNA and Particle TrackingNick Dunn0Sophie Ward1Joanna Barker2Jake Davies3Sarah Davies4Ben Wray5Peter Robins6Isabelle Apetroaie7Jake Williams8Kevin Hopkins9David Curnick10Institute of Zoology of the Zoological Society of London London UKSchool of Ocean Sciences Bangor University Menai Bridge Anglesey UKConservation and Policy Zoological Society of London London UKConservation and Policy Zoological Society of London London UKConservation and Policy Zoological Society of London London UKNatural Resources Wales Bangor Maes y Ffynnon Bangor Wales UKSchool of Ocean Sciences Bangor University Menai Bridge Anglesey UKImperial College London—Silwood Park Campus Ascot UKInstitute of Zoology of the Zoological Society of London London UKInstitute of Zoology of the Zoological Society of London London UKInstitute of Zoology of the Zoological Society of London London UKABSTRACT Many sharks, rays and skates are highly threatened and vulnerable to overexploitation, as such reliable monitoring of elasmobranchs is key to effective management and conservation. The mobile and elusive nature of these species makes monitoring challenging, particularly in temperate waters with low visibility. Environmental DNA (eDNA) methods present an opportunity to study these species in the absence of visual identification or invasive techniques. However, eDNA data alone can be difficult to interpret for species monitoring, particularly in a marine setting where its distribution can be influenced by water currents. In this study, we investigated the spatial and temporal distribution of elasmobranch species in two Special Areas for Conservation (SAC) off the coast of Wales. We took monthly eDNA samples for 1 year (starting September 2020 and March 2022 for the northern and southern SACs, respectively), and used metabarcoding to reveal the presence of elasmobranch species. We combined these data with hydrodynamic modelling and particle tracking methods to simulate the potential origins of the detected eDNA. We detected 11 elasmobranch species, including the critically endangered angelshark (Squatina squatina) and tope (Galeorhinus galeus). Most detections were in the spring and the fewest in the autumn. The particle tracking simulations predicted that eDNA was shed, on average, approximately 7 km and 15 km (in the northern and southern SACs, respectively) from the sampling stations at which it was detected. These results show that the two SACs represent important areas for elasmobranchs in the United Kingdom and demonstrate that eDNA methods combined with particle tracking simulations can represent a new frontier for monitoring marine species.https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70857eDNAhydrodynamic modellingmarinemetabarcodingsharks and rays |
| spellingShingle | Nick Dunn Sophie Ward Joanna Barker Jake Davies Sarah Davies Ben Wray Peter Robins Isabelle Apetroaie Jake Williams Kevin Hopkins David Curnick Revealing Elasmobranch Distributions in Turbid Coastal Waters: Insights From Environmental DNA and Particle Tracking Ecology and Evolution eDNA hydrodynamic modelling marine metabarcoding sharks and rays |
| title | Revealing Elasmobranch Distributions in Turbid Coastal Waters: Insights From Environmental DNA and Particle Tracking |
| title_full | Revealing Elasmobranch Distributions in Turbid Coastal Waters: Insights From Environmental DNA and Particle Tracking |
| title_fullStr | Revealing Elasmobranch Distributions in Turbid Coastal Waters: Insights From Environmental DNA and Particle Tracking |
| title_full_unstemmed | Revealing Elasmobranch Distributions in Turbid Coastal Waters: Insights From Environmental DNA and Particle Tracking |
| title_short | Revealing Elasmobranch Distributions in Turbid Coastal Waters: Insights From Environmental DNA and Particle Tracking |
| title_sort | revealing elasmobranch distributions in turbid coastal waters insights from environmental dna and particle tracking |
| topic | eDNA hydrodynamic modelling marine metabarcoding sharks and rays |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.70857 |
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