Environmental DNA metabarcoding facilitates integrative conservation assessments and species rediscoveries in tropical biodiversity hotspots
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding is an emerging and versatile tool in biodiversity research. With recent advances in field sampling techniques, this approach becomes increasingly suited for application in tropical ecosystems where biodiversity monitoring gaps remain significant and species detection is particularly challenging. Using amphibians as a model, we harness eDNA metabarcoding in 52 localities in the Tropical Andean biodiversity hotspot to rapidly trace elusive, threatened, or presumed extinct species as a baseline for conservation action. Metabarcoding ‘bycatch’ of non-target species further revealed specific environmental threats through the detection of invasive species and pathogens, thus facilitating integrative conservation assessments despite the incompleteness of reference data and the vast species richness hampering biodiversity assessments in complex tropical communities. Consequently, we call for more intense employment of eDNA metabarcoding in conservation to rapidly bridge critical knowledge gaps on elusive species or declining populations in tropical biodiversity hotspots.
Source: Scientific Reports
Authors: Amadeus Plewnia, Tobias Hildwein, Amanda B. Quezada Riera, Andrea Terán-Valdez, Andrew J. Crawford, Christopher Heine, Daniela Franco-Mena, Diana Székely, Diego Armijos-Ojeda, Fausto R. Siavichay, Jackeline D. Arpi, Jazmin Salazar, Jesse Erens, Mónica I. Páez-Vacas, Paul Székely, Philipp Böning, Raf Stassen, Sofía Carvajal-Endara, Stefan Lötters, Juan M. Guayasamin
Language: English
Subfield: Ecology
Field: Environmental Science
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Life on land
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $2,690
OpenAlex ID: W7133316503