A pilot study for vertebrate detection in the Gaoligong Mountains using aquatic eDNA, leech iDNA, and airborne eDNA metabarcoding

This dataset originates from a pilot study designed to assess the feasibility and compare the efficacy of multiple non-invasive molecular methods for terrestrial vertebrate inventories in the Gaoligong Mountains, a biodiversity hotspot in southwestern China. This work served as preliminary research for a subsequent large-scale aquatic eDNA survey in the same region. The sequencing data submitted here includes metabarcoding results from three distinct sample types tested in this pilot phase: (1) Aquatic eDNA from water samples; (2) Leech-derived invertebrate DNA (iDNA); (3) Airborne eDNA.Data from this pilot study were subsequently used in a broader comparative analysis, alongside concurrent camera trap data, which was published under the title "Integrative multi-method survey for terrestrial vertebrate inventories." The goal of that comparative paper was to demonstrate how combining different methods could maximize species detection and reduce method-specific biases, thereby producing a more comprehensive biodiversity inventory to support conservation in this complex ecosystem.