Assessment of Benthic Invertebrate Communities
Deutsche Bundesstiftung Umwelt (DBU)Development and validation of novel strategies to assess local benthic invertebrate communities in streams using environmental DNA and RNA
Duration: 2021-2025 Current Phase: Ended
Summary:
The aim of this DBU-funded project is to develop and validate minimally invasive genetic approaches that improve the spatial specificity of stream macroinvertebrate biodiversity assessments. To overcome challenges associated with downstream transport of eDNA and the persistent of DNA in the environment from dead or non-local organisms, the project evaluates three strategies: eRNA metabarcoding of stream water, an incubation-based eDNA approach using organisms collected through standardized multi-habitat (MH) kicknet sampling, and an incubation-based eDNA approach using locally colonized natural substrate exposures (NSEs). These strategies are designed to detect local stream macroinvertebrate communities while minimizing disturbances to habitats and organisms. The incubation-based approaches, in particular, demonstrate strong potential to accurately detect local communities and align with traditional morpho-taxonomic assessments, supporting their suitability for integration into existing regulatory frameworks.