Udforskning af interaktioner mellem leddyr og vilde blomster i overdrev ved hjælp af miljø-DNA metabarcoding
Oversat titel
Uncovering Arthropod Interactions on Wildflowers in Semi-Natural Dry Grasslands Using eDNA Metabarcoding
Forfatter
Semester
4. semester
Uddannelse
Udgivelsesår
2025
Afleveret
2025-12-21
Antal sider
45
Abstract
This study investigates the potential of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding as a complementary tool to traditional vegetation-based assessments of protected grassland habitats (paragraph 3 areas) in Denmark. Using flower samples from four sites with contrasting biological quality, eDNA was extracted and sequenced to identify arthropod communities and plant–arthropod interactions. Across 27 samples, 72 arthropod species from 11 orders were detected, revealing substantial taxonomic diversity and interaction networks. Contrary to expectations, no significant difference in arthropod species richness was found between sites of high and low vegetation-based quality indices, suggesting that local arthropod diversity may be influenced of something else rather than by plant diversity alone. Interaction networks showed no clear structural differences between sites, and connectance and robustness metrics remained similar across conditions. However, eDNA analyses captured fine-scale spatial variation and detected taxa often overlooked by conventional monitoring, including nocturnal and microscopic species. These findings highlight eDNA metabarcoding as a promising, non-invasive method for documenting biodiversity and ecological interactions, offering functional insights beyond species presence. Methodological challenges such as incomplete reference databases, standardization of sampling protocols, and quantification of DNA abundance must be addressed before practical implementation in national monitoring programs.