Relationship between environmental DNA and long-term physico-chemical estimates in an urbanized estuary

The aims of this study were to use the Broadwater Estuary in Queensland, Australia, as a model system to 1) assess whether physico-chemical variables and Tree of Life (ToL) metabarcoding biodiversity detections were correlated with varying levels of anthropogenic inputs across eight sites. Our results also provided a proof-of-concept for incorporating ToL-metabarcoding data into future assessments of estuarine function under increasing urbanization and associated human pressures.