Experimental assessment of downstream environmental <scp>DNA</scp> patterns under variable fish biomass and river discharge rates

Driessche, Charlotte Van; Everts, Teun; Neyrinck, Sabrina; Brys, Rein

doi:10.1002/edn3.361

Cited by 30 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 61 publications

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“…Several studies have focused on the study of the eDNA dispersal distance, considering these different factors, in lotic environments, via experimental caged-species systems, field observation, and/or modeling (Baudry et al, 2023;Nukazawa et al, 2018;Van Driessche et al, 2022;Wacker et al, 2019). Certain trends seemed to converge, and to fit with our results (for the eDNA dispersal distance):…”

Section: Spatial Variationsupporting

confidence: 67%

“…The interpretation of these spatial results is quite challenging to discuss because the detection distance is clearly dependent on many biotic, abiotic, and experimental factors, such as eDNA source depending on taxa/species and biomass, river hydrodynamics, decay rates depending on environmental factor like temperature and UV, volume filtered. Several studies have focused on the study of the eDNA dispersal distance, considering these different factors, in lotic environments, via experimental caged‐species systems, field observation, and/or modeling (Baudry et al, 2023; Nukazawa et al, 2018; Van Driessche et al, 2022; Wacker et al, 2019). Certain trends seemed to converge, and to fit with our results (for the eDNA dispersal distance): the eDNA quantity released at the source, correlated to the biomass of target individuals and their activity, including molting—for crustaceans—and breeding, has a positive influence on its downstream dispersion, with reliable detection up to 2 to 3 km, on different fish species (Baudry et al, 2023; Nukazawa et al, 2018; Van Driessche et al, 2022) and bivalves (Wacker et al, 2019).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Spatial variation of A. pallipes eDNA signal was investigated through a downstream eDNA dispersal experiment, called “distance” hereafter. Previous studies have already shown the effect of river characteristics (velocity and discharge) and source biomass on downstream eDNA detection, often estimated between hundreds of meters to 2–3 km in streams (Van Driessche et al, 2022; Wood et al, 2021). Distance experiments were prepared according to those estimated distance detection on 5 brooks where a total of 13 stations were sampled in August 2022: 3 in the Rorthe area (on A. pallipes downstream limit of the population, 1200 m downstream, and 2200 m downstream), 3 in Brule‐Choux area (on downstream limit of the population, 350 m downstream and 700 m downstream), 3 in Le Long area (on the downstream limit of the population, 1000 m downstream and 2300 m downstream), 2 in Quintaine area (on the downstream limit of the population and 300 m downstream), and 2 in Duire area (on the downstream limit of the population and 700 m downstream) (Appendix B).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…the eDNA quantity released at the source, correlated to the biomass of target individuals and their activity, including molting-for crustaceans-and breeding, has a positive influence on its downstream dispersion, with reliable detection up to 2 to 3 km, on different fish species (Baudry et al, 2023;Nukazawa et al, 2018;Van Driessche et al, 2022) and bivalves (Wacker et al, 2019).…”

Section: Spatial Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Influence of distance from source population and seasonality in eDNA detection of white‐clawed crayfish, through qPCR and ddPCR assays

Baudry

Laffitte

et al. 2023

Environmental DNA

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The white-clawed crayfish (Austropotamobius pallipes) is an emblematic taxon of European rivers, found mainly in oxygenated streams, known to be an excellent indicator of river quality. Since several decades, the population of A. pallipes declined in relation to anthropogenic pressure, habitat loss, and competition with pests (invasive crayfish, crayfish plague). This endangered species is now submitted to conservation strategies by freshwater managers in order to survey and protect the remaining populations. In France, traditional surveys in freshwater environments were performed by electric fishing, kick-net fishing, or trapping, particularly disruptive for the environment and very time-consuming. However, with the rise of molecular genetic technology, new methods based on the detection of environmental DNA (eDNA) have emerged. We present here the results of an optimized study for the detection of the endangered crayfish Austropotamobius pallipes in France, considering certain environmental co-factors and comparing two PCR methods (qPCR and ddPCR). After improving laboratory procedures, we were able to detect the presence of the crayfish up to 2 km downstream from a known point of presence and unfortunately highlight the disappearance of a historical population, after sampling two consecutive years. Such a level of precision is interesting because it makes it possible to precise the presence of specimens in a relatively restricted area and to orient traditional prospecting, necessary for certain additional studies. During our study, we observed better probabilities of detection during the summer period, but in a growing context of climate change, we advise to adapt the sampling year by year. That said, this methodology is a very useful tool for the detection of rare and/or endemic species and we did not observe any difference between the two PCR methods used.

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Section: Spatial Variationsupporting

confidence: 67%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Spatial Variationmentioning

confidence: 99%

See 2 more Smart Citations

Influence of distance from source population and seasonality in eDNA detection of white‐clawed crayfish, through qPCR and ddPCR assays

Baudry

Laffitte

et al. 2023

Environmental DNA

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“…However, studies explicitly addressing how this method characterizes spatial patterns of aquatic taxa showed more limited distances [38,73,74]. For instance, a cage study showed that eDNA concentrations become strongly reduced 2 km downstream from the emission source [75]. In addition, eDNA provided fish inventories and species spatial patterns comparable to those of local samples using capture methods in the rivers sampled in this study [38], testifying for a local description of communities that does not exceed a few kilometres.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Deforestation strengthens environmental filtering and competitive exclusion in Neotropical streams and rivers

Cantera,

Jézéquel,

Dejean

et al. 2023

Proc. R. Soc. B.

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Understanding how anthropization impacts the assembly of species onto communities is pivotal to go beyond the observation of biodiversity changes and reveal how disturbances affect the environmental and biotic processes shaping biodiversity. Here, we propose a simple framework to measure the assembly processes underpinning functional convergence/divergence patterns. We applied this framework to northern Amazonian fish communities inventoried using environmental DNA in 35 stream sites and 64 river sites. We found that the harsh and unstable environmental conditions characterizing streams conveyed communities towards functional convergence, by filtering traits related to food acquisition and, to a lower extent, dispersal. Such environmental filtering also strengthened competition by excluding species having less competitive food acquisition traits. Instead, random species assembly was more marked in river communities, which may be explained by the downstream position of rivers facilitating the dispersion of species. Although fish assembly rules differed between streams and river fish communities, anthropogenic disturbances reduced functional divergence in both ecosystems, with a reinforcement of both environmental filtering and weaker competitor exclusion. This may explain the substantial biodiversity alterations observed under slight deforestation levels in Neotropical freshwater ecosystems and underlines their vulnerability to anthropic disturbances that not only affect species persistence but also modify community assembly rules.

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Designing, implementing and monitoring the translocation of a highly threatened freshwater fish

Kalogianni,

Leris,

Vardakas

et al. 2024

Aquatic Conservation

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Conservation translocations are increasingly applied for the protection of threatened species, but their success depends strongly on pre‐release preparatory work and strict implementation methodology, followed by post‐release monitoring. The aim of this work was to implement a conservation translocation that involved (a) the design and application of a pre‐release feasibility assessment tool for the selection of the translocation water bodies; (b) the translocation of 77 individuals of the highly threatened freshwater Corfu killifish Valencia letourneuxi in 2015, 2016 and 2017; and (c) a 5‐year post‐release monitoring with multiple methods. After initial pre‐screening, a feasibility assessment was conducted on two potential release water bodies (R‐WBs) and on four potential source water bodies (S‐WBs), using a custom‐made feasibility assessment tool that incorporated 14 criteria for the potential R‐WBs, related to the species' habitat requirements, human pressures and technical issues. Two criteria were applied to the potential S‐WBs, on source population availability and on its genetic compatibility to the release area. Post‐release monitoring (2017–2022) was conducted with fish sampling methods, underwater video recording and/or using environmental DNA (eDNA). The feasibility assessment tool gave one R‐WB high, positive score, and one S‐WB met both criteria, thus these selected as the translocation water bodies. Despite the low number of founders, the establishment of a self‐reproducing population was finally confirmed in 2022 in the R‐WB, initially with video recording and subsequently by fish sampling and eDNA. This study highlights the importance of pre‐release feasibility assessment, the use of multiple post‐release monitoring methods and actions to secure the long‐term viability of the translocated population. The feasibility assessment tool and the methodological protocol can easily be modified for successful application to other freshwater fish species, with different habitat requirements, current and future human pressures and genetic constraints.

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Experimental assessment of downstream environmental DNA patterns under variable fish biomass and river discharge rates

Cited by 30 publications

References 61 publications

Influence of distance from source population and seasonality in eDNA detection of white‐clawed crayfish, through qPCR and ddPCR assays

Influence of distance from source population and seasonality in eDNA detection of white‐clawed crayfish, through qPCR and ddPCR assays

Deforestation strengthens environmental filtering and competitive exclusion in Neotropical streams and rivers

Designing, implementing and monitoring the translocation of a highly threatened freshwater fish

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