Spatial distribution of sedimentary DNA is taxon-specific and linked to local occurrence at intra-lake scale. undefined

Environmental archives, such as lake sediments, harbour DNA of past and present ecosystems. However, our understanding of the provenance, deposition and distribution of sedimentary DNA in lake systems is largely unknown, limiting the breadth of derived spatiotemporal inferences. By mapping the distribution of aquatic and terrestrial taxa in a large deep lake using metabarcoding, we characterise the spatial heterogeneity of sedimentary DNA and point to its potential driving factors. We find taxa composition to vary across geographic gradients in the lake, and spatial distribution of DNA linked to the natural range and life mode of the organisms. Exogenous taxa, such as alpine plants, have the most reliable detection near the mouth of the inflow. Our data reveal that sedimentary DNA is reflecting the mosaic distribution of organisms and organic remains in the environment, and a single location from lakes with watersheds across different elevations, biomes or other diversity boundaries does not capture the full dynamics of the surrounding area.