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ORIGINAL RESEARCH article

Front. Ecol. Evol.
Sec. Conservation and Restoration Ecology
Volume 12 - 2024 | doi: 10.3389/fevo.2024.1409296

eDNA metabarcoding: an effective tool for vertebrate diversity studies in the Colombian Amazon and Orinoco basins

Provisionally accepted
Daniela Martinelli Marín Daniela Martinelli Marín 1*Carlos A. Lasso Alcala Carlos A. Lasso Alcala 2Susana Caballero Susana Caballero 1*
  • 1 University of Los Andes, Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
  • 2 Alexander von Humboldt Biological Resources Research Institute, Bogotá, Cundinamarca, Colombia

The final, formatted version of the article will be published soon.

    The development of rapid, cost-effective, non-invasive, and efficient sampling alternatives, such as environmental DNA (eDNA), is crucial for understanding the changes in species biodiversity and distributions worldwide, particularly for low abundance, cryptic, and threatened species. This study utilized environmental eDNA to analyze the variety of aquatic, semi-aquatic, and terrestrial vertebrates in the Colombian Amazon and Orinoco basins. The study focused on four main subregions: Bojonawi Natural Reserve and adjacent areas (Vichada Department), Sierra de la Macarena National Park and Tillavá (Meta Department), Puerto Nariño and adjacent areas (Amazonas Department), and the Municipality of Solano (Caquetá Department). A total of 709 operational taxonomic units (OTUs) were identified across all sampling locations. The Orinoco River had the highest number of fish genera (68), while the Guayabero River had the highest number of tetrapod genera (13). New taxonomic records were found for all locations, with the highest number of previously undetected fish diversity being found in the Bita, Orinoco, and Tillavá rivers, compared to traditional surveys. Likewise, the study identified two fish species, four mammal species, and one reptile species as vulnerable. Additionally, four mammal species were identified as endangered, including the giant otter (Pteronura brasiliensis), two subspecies of the Amazon River dolphin (Inia geoffrensis geoffrensis and Inia geoffrensis humboldtiana), and the tucuxi (Sotalia fluviatilis). Standardizing the methodology and improving current DNA sequence databases for the Neotropics is essential to develop future eDNA studies and enhance our understanding of the region's diversity.

    Keywords: eDNA, metabarcoding, diversity, richness, Vertebrates, Amazon basin, Orinoco basin, Colombia

    Received: 29 Mar 2024; Accepted: 14 Jun 2024.

    Copyright: © 2024 Martinelli Marín, Lasso Alcala and Caballero. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.

    * Correspondence:
    Daniela Martinelli Marín, University of Los Andes, Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia
    Susana Caballero, University of Los Andes, Colombia, Bogotá, Colombia

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