Diversity in the dolphin fall and the nearby sediments by eDNA metabarcoding

we used eDNA metabarcoding technology to target the V4 region of the eukaryotic 18S rRNA to investigate the biodiversity as well as community structure of deep-sea sediments near this dolphin fall. By comparing the differences in diversity and community composition between samples taken at different distances from the dolphin fall and those re-collected a year later, we reveal the deep-sea benthic biodiversity and community patterns near the dolphin fall in the South China Sea and provide a basis for further studies on deep-sea benthic biodiversity in the South China Sea in the future.