Environmental DNA analysis needs local reference data to inform taxonomy-based conservation policy – A case study from Aotearoa / New Zealand

Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding, a promising tool for biodiversity surveillance, faces significant limitations without locally generated reference data. A case study from Te Wahipounamu – South West New Zealand's remote fiords reveals that eDNA-derived species identifications often lack accuracy compared to Baited Remote Underwater Video (BRUV) data and regional biodiversity records. The study identified 116 fish species across four data sources, with eDNA showing the least concordance at lower taxonomic levels. While BRUV aligned better with local biodiversity information and detected regional dissimilarities more effectively, eDNA's potential for species-level conservation policy remains impaired without robust reference datasets.

Czechowski, P., de Lange, M., Heldsinger, M., Rayment, W., Hepburn, C., Ladds, M., & Knapp, M. (2021). Environmental DNA analysis needs local reference data to inform taxonomy-based conservation policy – A case study from Aotearoa / New Zealand. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.10.22.465527