Metazoan diversity in Chilean hypersaline lakes unveiled by environmental DNA
Saline and hypersaline wetlands are biodiversity hotspots for metazoans such as aquatic invertebrates and wading birds. However, the survival of these habitats and their biota is increasingly threatened by a combination of pressures from climate change and extractive processes. With the goal of impr...
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Frontiers Media S.A.
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
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| Online Access: | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1504666/full |
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| author | Mattia Saccò Mattia Saccò Mattia Saccò Matthew A. Campbell Pablo Aguilar Pablo Aguilar Pablo Aguilar Gonzalo Salazar Gonzalo Salazar Gonzalo Salazar Tina E. Berry Tina E. Berry Matthew J. Heydenrych Angus Lawrie Nicole E. White Chris Harrod Chris Harrod Chris Harrod Morten E. Allentoft Morten E. Allentoft |
| author_facet | Mattia Saccò Mattia Saccò Mattia Saccò Matthew A. Campbell Pablo Aguilar Pablo Aguilar Pablo Aguilar Gonzalo Salazar Gonzalo Salazar Gonzalo Salazar Tina E. Berry Tina E. Berry Matthew J. Heydenrych Angus Lawrie Nicole E. White Chris Harrod Chris Harrod Chris Harrod Morten E. Allentoft Morten E. Allentoft |
| author_sort | Mattia Saccò |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Saline and hypersaline wetlands are biodiversity hotspots for metazoans such as aquatic invertebrates and wading birds. However, the survival of these habitats and their biota is increasingly threatened by a combination of pressures from climate change and extractive processes. With the goal of improving conservation efforts in hypersaline ecosystems, this study tests the use of eDNA methods for metazoan biomonitoring. We employed a multi-assay approach utilizing three genetic markers—12S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and COI —to analyze biodiversity in sediment and water. Samples were collected from three hypersaline lakes in Northern Chile: Salar de Atacama (Laguna Puilar), Salar de Pujsa, and Salar de Tara. eDNA outputs were also compared with results generated from aquatic macroinvertebrate assessments using kick-nets. Our eDNA analyses revealed a total of 21 and 22 taxa across the three hypersaline lakes in sediment and water, respectively. The highest diversity was found in Salar de Tara (15 taxa within sediment and 13 taxa from water). Our multi-assay design detected a range of resident hypersaline taxa with different conservation status, spanning from rotifers to endangered snails, to amphipods and flamingos. Macroinvertebrate data via kick-net surveys further validated Salar de Tara as the most biodiverse system. Compared to net-based assessments, eDNA analysis allowed more refined taxonomic assignments for copepods and ostracods, while certain taxa such as Ephydridae or Hirudinea were not detected through molecular tests. Overall, this study provides evidence that eDNA is an effective tool to elucidate fine scale taxa assemblages and can refine conservation efforts in hypersaline lakes. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-f4096a97cf8b4bd0bafb281a5f62e9d6 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2296-701X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Frontiers Media S.A. |
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| series | Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution |
| spelling | doaj-art-f4096a97cf8b4bd0bafb281a5f62e9d62025-01-31T06:39:52ZengFrontiers Media S.A.Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution2296-701X2025-01-011310.3389/fevo.2025.15046661504666Metazoan diversity in Chilean hypersaline lakes unveiled by environmental DNAMattia Saccò0Mattia Saccò1Mattia Saccò2Matthew A. Campbell3Pablo Aguilar4Pablo Aguilar5Pablo Aguilar6Gonzalo Salazar7Gonzalo Salazar8Gonzalo Salazar9Tina E. Berry10Tina E. Berry11Matthew J. Heydenrych12Angus Lawrie13Nicole E. White14Chris Harrod15Chris Harrod16Chris Harrod17Morten E. Allentoft18Morten E. Allentoft19Subterranean Research and Groundwater Ecology (SuRGE) Group, Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, AustraliaDepartment of Chemistry, Life Sciences and Environmental Sustainability, University of Parma, Parma, ItalyLaboratoire de Biologie des Organismes et des Écosystèmes Aquatiques-BOREA, Muséum National d’Histoire naturelle, SU, CNRS, IRD, UA, Paris, FranceTrace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, AustraliaLaboratorio de Complejidad Microbiana, Instituto Antofagasta and Centro de Bioingeniería y Biotecnología (CeBiB), Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, ChileDepartamento de Biotecnología, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, ChileMillennium Nucleus of Austral Invasive Salmonids - INVASAL, Concepción, ChileMillennium Nucleus of Austral Invasive Salmonids - INVASAL, Concepción, ChileInstituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, ChileDoctorado en Ciencias Aplicadas Mención Sistemas Acuáticos, Facultad de Ciencias del Mar y Recursos Biológicos, Universidad deAntofagasta, Antofagasta, ChileTrace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia0eDNA Frontiers, Curtin University, Bentley, WA, Australia1School of Biological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Crawley, WA, AustraliaTrace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, AustraliaSubterranean Research and Groundwater Ecology (SuRGE) Group, Trace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, AustraliaMillennium Nucleus of Austral Invasive Salmonids - INVASAL, Concepción, ChileInstituto de Ciencias Naturales Alexander von Humboldt, Universidad de Antofagasta, Antofagasta, Chile2Scottish Centre for Ecology and the Natural Environment, School of Biodiversity, One Health and Veterinary Medicine, University of Glasgow, Rowardennan, United KingdomTrace and Environmental DNA (TrEnD) Lab, School of Molecular and Life Sciences, Curtin University, Perth, WA, Australia3Section for GeoGenetics, Globe Institute, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, DenmarkSaline and hypersaline wetlands are biodiversity hotspots for metazoans such as aquatic invertebrates and wading birds. However, the survival of these habitats and their biota is increasingly threatened by a combination of pressures from climate change and extractive processes. With the goal of improving conservation efforts in hypersaline ecosystems, this study tests the use of eDNA methods for metazoan biomonitoring. We employed a multi-assay approach utilizing three genetic markers—12S rRNA, 18S rRNA, and COI —to analyze biodiversity in sediment and water. Samples were collected from three hypersaline lakes in Northern Chile: Salar de Atacama (Laguna Puilar), Salar de Pujsa, and Salar de Tara. eDNA outputs were also compared with results generated from aquatic macroinvertebrate assessments using kick-nets. Our eDNA analyses revealed a total of 21 and 22 taxa across the three hypersaline lakes in sediment and water, respectively. The highest diversity was found in Salar de Tara (15 taxa within sediment and 13 taxa from water). Our multi-assay design detected a range of resident hypersaline taxa with different conservation status, spanning from rotifers to endangered snails, to amphipods and flamingos. Macroinvertebrate data via kick-net surveys further validated Salar de Tara as the most biodiverse system. Compared to net-based assessments, eDNA analysis allowed more refined taxonomic assignments for copepods and ostracods, while certain taxa such as Ephydridae or Hirudinea were not detected through molecular tests. Overall, this study provides evidence that eDNA is an effective tool to elucidate fine scale taxa assemblages and can refine conservation efforts in hypersaline lakes.https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1504666/fulleDNAhypersaline wetlandsmetazoan biomonitoringbiodiversityconservation |
| spellingShingle | Mattia Saccò Mattia Saccò Mattia Saccò Matthew A. Campbell Pablo Aguilar Pablo Aguilar Pablo Aguilar Gonzalo Salazar Gonzalo Salazar Gonzalo Salazar Tina E. Berry Tina E. Berry Matthew J. Heydenrych Angus Lawrie Nicole E. White Chris Harrod Chris Harrod Chris Harrod Morten E. Allentoft Morten E. Allentoft Metazoan diversity in Chilean hypersaline lakes unveiled by environmental DNA Frontiers in Ecology and Evolution eDNA hypersaline wetlands metazoan biomonitoring biodiversity conservation |
| title | Metazoan diversity in Chilean hypersaline lakes unveiled by environmental DNA |
| title_full | Metazoan diversity in Chilean hypersaline lakes unveiled by environmental DNA |
| title_fullStr | Metazoan diversity in Chilean hypersaline lakes unveiled by environmental DNA |
| title_full_unstemmed | Metazoan diversity in Chilean hypersaline lakes unveiled by environmental DNA |
| title_short | Metazoan diversity in Chilean hypersaline lakes unveiled by environmental DNA |
| title_sort | metazoan diversity in chilean hypersaline lakes unveiled by environmental dna |
| topic | eDNA hypersaline wetlands metazoan biomonitoring biodiversity conservation |
| url | https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fevo.2025.1504666/full |
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