Benthic foraminifera as proxies for the environmental quality assessment of the Kuwait Bay (Kuwait, Arabian Gulf): Morphological and metabarcoding approaches

Al-Enezi, Eqbal; Francescangeli, Fabio; Balassi, Eszter; Borderie, Sandra; Al-Hazeem, Shaker; Fadila, Salamin; Ahmad, Boota Anwar; Jan, Pawlowski; Frontalini, Fabrizio

doi:10.1016/j.scitotenv.2022.155093

Cited by 22 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 58 publications

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“…The diversity-based indices, such as expected H' bc (exp (H' bc )) and genetic H' bc (g-exp(H' bc ) were calculated for the morphological and metabarcoding dataset, respectively. This was the first attempt to apply the foraminiferal metabarcoding to evaluate the EcoQS within the Gulf (Bouchet et al, 2012;Cavaliere et al, 2021;Al-Enezi et al, 2022). These studies, employing biotic indices, indicated that the eDNA metabarcoding provides a robust approach for evaluating and monitoring marine ecosystems, enabling the application of established ecological indices and metrics to derive valuable insights into the health and diversity of various taxa in these environments.…”

Section: Application In Biomonitoring and Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In recent times, there has been growing validation of the effectiveness of eDNA for biomonitoring and evaluating the response of biotic communities to environmental stress associated with anthropogenic activities. Previous studies in the Gulf have employed the eDNA approach to evaluate the environmental impacts of industrial activities on benthic communities (Lee et al, 2019;Al-Enezi et al, 2022;Al-Salameen et al, 2023). Studies from offshore oil and gas drilling and production platforms in New Zealand have demonstrated the potential of eDNA metabarcoding for monitoring the local biodiversity (Laroche et al, 2016, Laroche et al, 2018.…”

Section: Application In Biomonitoring and Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

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Advancing ecological assessment of the Arabian Gulf through eDNA metabarcoding: opportunities, prospects, and challenges

Joydas,

Manokaran,

Gopi

et al. 2024

Front. Mar. Sci.

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The Arabian Gulf (hereafter ‘the Gulf’) is renowned for its unique ecological characteristics and distinct marine life. It offers a diverse range of ecosystems that have adapted to the impacts posed by natural stress and human activities. Regular biomonitoring and diversity assessments are necessary to document the health of the Gulf ecosystem and to implement appropriate measures for effective conservation and management. Recently, environmental DNA (eDNA), a total pool of DNA isolated from environmental samples, has emerged as a highly effective tool for ecological studies. This review explores the opportunities, prospects, and challenges associated with employing eDNA metabarcoding in the ecological assessment and biomonitoring of the Gulf. It provides an overview of the status of the Gulf ecosystem and discusses the potential applications of eDNA metabarcoding in assessing biodiversity, monitoring invasive species, and evaluating ecosystem health. Additionally, the investigation addresses the challenges inherent in implementing this technique, considering environmental complexities, methodological intricacies, and data interpretation. Overall, this review emphasizes the immense potential of eDNA metabarcoding in advancing ecological assessment in the Gulf and calls for further research and collaboration to harness its benefits in this unique marine ecosystem.

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Section: Application In Biomonitoring and Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Application In Biomonitoring and Industrymentioning

confidence: 99%

Advancing ecological assessment of the Arabian Gulf through eDNA metabarcoding: opportunities, prospects, and challenges

Joydas,

Manokaran,

Gopi

et al. 2024

Front. Mar. Sci.

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“…We combined the obtained sequence with the published ones from other sites from CCFZ, and other deep-sea foraminifera datasets obtained from samples between -4000 and -9000 meters of water depth from the North Atlantic, Mid Atlantic, South Atlantic, Southern Ocean, and Northwest Pacific [29,36] (see S1 Table ), and available in ENA under the following accession number PRJEB44134, PRJNA554310, and PRJNA899048. We also added the shallow water foraminifera datasets from the Tyrrhenian Sea [37], Adriatic Sea [38][39][40][41] and around Svalbard [42] (see S1 Fig), available under the following accession numbers: PRJNA723313, PRJNA897836, PRJNA813562, PRJEB29469, and PRJNA768352. Some of those datasets were PLOS ONE obtained using primers s14F1-s17 [43] and therefore targeting two hypervariable regions of 18S (37F and 41F), including the studied region.…”

Section: Bioinformatics Analysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Assigning the unassigned: A signature-based classification of rDNA metabarcodes reveals new deep-sea diversity

Barrenechea Angeles,

Nguyen,

Greco

et al. 2024

PLoS ONE

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Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals a vast genetic diversity of marine eukaryotes. Yet, most of the metabarcoding data remain unassigned due to the paucity of reference databases. This is particularly true for the deep-sea meiofauna and eukaryotic microbiota, whose hidden diversity is largely unexplored. Here, we tackle this issue by using unique DNA signatures to classify unknown metabarcodes assigned to deep-sea foraminifera. We analyzed metabarcoding data obtained from 311 deep-sea sediment samples collected in the Clarion-Clipperton Fracture Zone, an area of potential polymetallic nodule exploitation in the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Using the signatures designed in the 37F hypervariable region of the 18S rRNA gene, we were able to classify 802 unassigned metabarcodes into 61 novel lineages, which have been placed in 27 phylogenetic clades. The comparison of new lineages with other foraminiferal datasets shows that most novel lineages are widely distributed in the deep sea. Five lineages are also present in the shallow-water datasets; however, phylogenetic analysis of these lineages separates deep-sea and shallow-water metabarcodes except in one case. While the signature-based classification does not solve the problem of gaps in reference databases, this taxonomy-free approach provides insight into the distribution and ecology of deep-sea species represented by unassigned metabarcodes, which could be useful in future applications of metabarcoding for environmental monitoring.

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“…Nonetheless, standard laboratory analyses remain the most valid method for assessing contamination and predicting its impact on marine biota. Research focusing on benthic foraminiferal occurrence in Kuwait has been undertaken [22,23], with previous studies identifying foraminifera as potential bio-indicators of contamination [24,25]. However, comprehensive analyses of benthic sediments in the Arabian Gulf, particularly in Kuwaiti coastal areas, are still limited.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Assessing Sediment Contamination in Kuwait Bay: A Comprehensive Environmental Analysis of Effluent Discharge Impact

Boota,

Al-Enezi

2023

IJSDP

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Kuwait Bay, increasingly susceptible to contamination due to urbanization and effluent discharge, serves as a focal point for environmental research. This study aims to provide a scientifically grounded assessment of sediment contamination within the bay, emphasizing the role of effluents as primary pollutants. Sediments, as repositories for both organic and inorganic pollutants, bear significant implications for marine ecosystems. A systematic sampling approach was employed at forty-six georeferenced sites across the bay, utilizing a grab sampler aboard a research vessel. The sediment samples were rigorously analyzed for inorganic geochemistry, encompassing trace elements, nutrients, and heavy metals. A comparative analysis was conducted between the trace element concentrations obtained in this study and established background levels, as well as the guidelines set forth by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). The findings indicate a discernible level of contamination in Kuwait Bay. While the current contamination levels are classified as low, there is a pronounced risk of escalating contamination if the practice of discharging untreated effluents persists. In light of these results, the study underscores the urgent need for effluent decontamination prior to discharge into the bay. This research not only maps the spatial distribution of contaminants in Kuwait Bay but also provides a critical evaluation of potential risks to the marine environment, thereby informing future mitigation strategies. The comprehensive nature of this assessment, integrating geochemical analysis with environmental impact evaluation, marks a significant contribution to the field of marine contamination research.

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Benthic foraminifera as proxies for the environmental quality assessment of the Kuwait Bay (Kuwait, Arabian Gulf): Morphological and metabarcoding approaches

Cited by 22 publications

References 58 publications

Advancing ecological assessment of the Arabian Gulf through eDNA metabarcoding: opportunities, prospects, and challenges

Advancing ecological assessment of the Arabian Gulf through eDNA metabarcoding: opportunities, prospects, and challenges

Assigning the unassigned: A signature-based classification of rDNA metabarcodes reveals new deep-sea diversity

Assessing Sediment Contamination in Kuwait Bay: A Comprehensive Environmental Analysis of Effluent Discharge Impact

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