title: Establishing a community-wide DNA barcode library as a new tool for arctic research.
abstract: DNA sequences offer powerful tools for describing the members and interactions of natural communities. In this study, we establish the to-date most comprehensive library of DNA barcodes for a terrestrial site, including all known macroscopic animals and vascular plants of an intensively studied area of the High Arctic, the Zackenberg Valley in Northeast Greenland. To demonstrate its utility, we apply the library to identify nearly 20 000 arthropod individuals from two Malaise traps, each operated for two summers. Drawing on this material, we estimate the coverage of previous morphology-based species inventories, derive a snapshot of faunal turnover in space and time and describe the abundance and phenology of species in the rapidly changing arctic environment. Overall, 403 terrestrial animal and 160 vascular plant species were recorded by morphology-based techniques. DNA barcodes (CO1) offered high resolution in discriminating among the local animal taxa, with 92% of morphologically distinguishable taxa assigned to unique Barcode Index Numbers (BINs) and 93% to monophyletic clusters. For vascular plants, resolution was lower, with 54% of species forming monophyletic clusters based on barcode regions rbcLa and ITS2. Malaise catches revealed 122 BINs not detected by previous sampling and DNA barcoding. The insect community was dominated by a few highly abundant taxa. Even closely related taxa differed in phenology, emphasizing the need for species-level resolution when describing ongoing shifts in arctic communities and ecosystems. The DNA barcode library now established for Zackenberg offers new scope for such explorations, and for the detailed dissection of interspecific interactions throughout the community.
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 5, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Wirta
authors.affiliation: Finnish Environment Institute, Natural Environment Centre, Friendship Park Research Centre, Lentiirantie 342B, 88900, Kuhmo, Finland.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Várkonyi
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Ny Munkegade 114, DK-8000, Aarhus, Denmark.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Rasmussen
authors.affiliation: Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kaartinen
authors.affiliation: Arctic Research Centre, Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Frederiksborgvej 399, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
authors.forename: N M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Schmidt
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: P D N
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Hebert
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology and Fisheries, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences, 165 21, Praha 6 - Suchdol, Czech Republic.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Barták
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Blagoev
authors.affiliation: Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, Cambridge, CB2 3EJ, UK.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Disney
authors.affiliation: Division of Conservation Biology, Vegetation Ecology and Landscape Ecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ertl
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, Silkeborg, DK-8600, Denmark.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gjelstrup
authors.affiliation: Department of Forest Pathology, University of Life Sciences, Wojska Polskiego 71c, Poznan, 60625, Poland.
authors.forename: D J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Gwiazdowicz
authors.affiliation: Finnish Museum of Natural History, Zoology Unit, University of Helsinki, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, 00100, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Huldén
authors.affiliation: Metsähallitus, Parks & Wildlife Finland, PO Box 94, 01301, Vantaa, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ilmonen
authors.affiliation: Finnish Environment Institute, Mechelininkatu 34A, 00250, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Jakovlev
authors.affiliation: Station Linné, Ölands Skogsby 161, 38693, Färjestaden, Sweden.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jaschhof
authors.affiliation: Finnish Museum of Natural History, Zoology Unit, University of Helsinki, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, 00100, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Kahanpää
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 5, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kankaanpää
authors.affiliation: Department of Bioscience, Aarhus University, Vejlsøvej 25, Silkeborg, DK-8600, Denmark.
authors.forename: P H
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Krogh
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Labbee
authors.affiliation: Division of Conservation Biology, Vegetation Ecology and Landscape Ecology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research, University of Vienna, Rennweg 14, 1030, Vienna, Austria.
authors.forename: C
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5331-1852
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Lettner
authors.affiliation: Zoological Museum of the University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 15, DK-2100 Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Michelsen
authors.affiliation: Department of Environmental, Social and Spatial Change, Roskilde University, Universitetsvej 1, PO Box 260, DK-4000, Roskilde, Denmark.
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Sandvedhagen 8, NO-4318, Sandnes, Norway.
authors.forename: T R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Nielsen
authors.affiliation: Ruuhikoskenkatu 17 B 5, 24240, Salo, Finland.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Paasivirta
authors.affiliation: Biodiversity Institute of Ontario, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, N1G 2W1, Canada.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pedersen
authors.affiliation: Department of Biology, University of Eastern Finland, P.O. Box 11, 80101, Joensuu, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pohjoismäki
authors.affiliation: Metsähallitus, Ounasjoentie 6, 96101, Rovaniemi, Finland.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Salmela
authors.affiliation: Finnish Museum of Natural History, Zoology Unit, University of Helsinki, Pohjoinen Rautatiekatu 13, 00100, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vilkamaa
authors.affiliation: Finnish Museum of Natural History, Botany Unit, University of Helsinki, Unioninkatu 44, 00140, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Väre
authors.affiliation: Fakultät Biologie, Universität Bielefeld, Universitätsstrasse 25, 33615, Bielefeld, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: von Tschirnhaus
authors.affiliation: Department of Agricultural Sciences, University of Helsinki, Latokartanonkaari 5, 00790, Helsinki, Finland.|Department of Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, Box 7044, 750 07, Uppsala, Sweden.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Roslin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001110:Arctic Regions; D058448:Biota; D058893:DNA Barcoding, Taxonomic / Q000379:methods*; D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer / Q000737:chemistry / Q000235:genetics; D017753:Ecosystem; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV / Q000235:genetics; D006116:Greenland; D010802:Phylogeny; D010944:Plants; D012273:Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D021903:DNA, Ribosomal Spacer; D003576:Electron Transport Complex IV; C101625:RbcL protein, plastid; D012273:Ribulose-Bisphosphate Carboxylase
keywords: DNA barcode library; Greenland; arthropod; high arctic; species diversity