Environmental DNA metabarcoding reveals benthic biodiversity in different habitats of the intertidal zone around Hainan Island, South China Sea

We used eDNA metabarcoding based on three gene markers (18S rRNA, 28S rRNA, and mitochondrial COI genes) to explore the diversity of benthic organisms in Hainan Island. The goals of the study were to (1) characterize benthic metazoan communities in the intertidal zone along the coast of Hainan Island, (2) assess the benthic diversity and community structure of three different intertidal habitats.