Next-generation protocols for the identification and quantification of freshwater zooplankton groups using environmental DNA

Environmental DNA (eDNA) is defined as DNA extracted from environmental samples and this DNA can be used to detect and reveal the identity of species present in the environment, offering numerous advantages for biodiversity monitoring (high throughput, moderate time and cost per sample). However, despite major advances in the use of eDNA to detect aquatic organisms, eDNA monitoring has not yet been optimized to detect and quantify taxonomic groups that make up zooplankton communities, which nevertheless play a major role in the ecological functioning of lakes and water bodies. For this project, ANAEE-France is mobilizing five aquatic environment experimentation and observation infrastructures to develop and consolidated DNA protocols for qualitative and quantitative monitoring of freshwater zooplankton. The protocols that will be developed, tested, and implemented will be compared with traditional methods of zooplankton identification. Ultimately, these new protocols will enrich the range of tools available for studying the spatial and temporal dynamics of zooplankton and, more generally, aquatic biodiversity and the ecological status of lakes.