title: Environmental DNA for wildlife biology and biodiversity monitoring.
abstract: Extraction and identification of DNA from an environmental sample has proven noteworthy recently in detecting and monitoring not only common species, but also those that are endangered, invasive, or elusive. Particular attributes of so-called environmental DNA (eDNA) analysis render it a potent tool for elucidating mechanistic insights in ecological and evolutionary processes. Foremost among these is an improved ability to explore ecosystem-level processes, the generation of quantitative indices for analyses of species, community diversity, and dynamics, and novel opportunities through the use of time-serial samples and unprecedented sensitivity for detecting rare or difficult-to-sample taxa. Although technical challenges remain, here we examine the current frontiers of eDNA, outline key aspects requiring improvement, and suggest future developments and innovations for research.
authors.affiliation: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark; School of Biological Sciences, University of Bristol, Woodland Road, Bristol BS8 1UG, UK.
authors.forename: Kristine
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bohmann
authors.affiliation: Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Deiniol Road, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Evans
authors.affiliation: Centre for GeoGenetics, Natural History Museum of Denmark, University of Copenhagen, Øster Voldgade 5-7, 1350 Copenhagen K, Denmark; Trace and Environmental DNA Laboratory, Department of Environment and Agriculture, Curtin University, Perth, Western Australia 6845, Australia. Electronic address: mtpgilbert@gmail.com.
authors.forename: M Thomas P
authors.initials: MT
authors.lastname: Gilbert
authors.affiliation: Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Deiniol Road, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK.
authors.forename: Gary R
authors.initials: GR
authors.lastname: Carvalho
authors.affiliation: Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Deiniol Road, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK.
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Creer
authors.affiliation: Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Deiniol Road, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK.
authors.forename: Michael
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knapp
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory of Genetic Resources and Evolution, Kunming Institute of Zoology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, 32 Jiaochang East Road, Kunming, Yunnan 650223, China; School of Biological Sciences, University of East Anglia, Norwich Research Park, Norwich, Norfolk NR4 7TJ, UK.
authors.forename: Douglas W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Yu
authors.affiliation: Molecular Ecology and Fisheries Genetics Laboratory, School of Biological Sciences, Deiniol Road, Bangor University, Bangor LL57 2UW, UK. Electronic address: markus.debruyn@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: de Bruyn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000235:genetics*; D001419:Bacteria / Q000235:genetics*; D044822:Biodiversity; D004247:DNA / Q000032:analysis*; D017753:Ecosystem; D004784:Environmental Monitoring / Q000379:methods; D005658:Fungi / Q000235:genetics*; D056186:Metagenomics / Q000379:methods*; D010944:Plants / Q000235:genetics*
chemical_list: D004247:DNA
keywords: biodiversity; environmental DNA; metabarcoding; metagenomics; monitoring; second-generation sequencing; wildlife