Successful detection of mammals and birds from active eDNA air filters left overnight in open grassland habitat of central Queensland, Australia

We conducted a pilot trial to assess the utility of both airborne eDNA and soil eDNA to detect vertebrates, with a focus on the Julia Creek dunnart (Sminthopsis douglasi), at a key management location for this threatened mammal species, Bladensburg National Park (central Queensland, Australia). We extracted DNA from air filters and soil and then PCR amplified a short region of 12s rRNA in mammalian taxa using the MiMammal-U primer set (Ushio et al. 2017). This dataset includes Illumina sequencing reads derived from multiple DNA extraction protocols, with each sample screened in PCR duplicate. The dataset also includes all DNA extraction blanks, PCR negative controls, and PCR positive controls used throughout the metabarcoding experiment.