eDNA metabarcoding (marker: COI) of reef and mangrove habitats in Honduras and Kenya. eDNA metabarcoding in Honduras and Kenya (Marine habitats)

Water samples from reef and mangrove habitats were subjected to eDNA metabarcoding in order to investigate the turnover of species between these habitats in both the Caribbean (Honduras) and Western Indian Ocean (WIO, Kenya). The eDNA extract from each water sample was split into three PCR replicates, which were amplified with tagged primers targeting the minibarcode region of the mitochondrial cytochrome oxidase I marker gene, and sequenced on an Illumina MiSeq platform (2x250bp PE). Appropriate controls from the sampling, filtering and amplification steps were also sequenced along with the eDNA samples. Tela (main site in Honduras) was sampled in four sampling sessions over a 2-year period, while sampling on Utila (Honduras) and Watamu (Kenya) took place only in July and August of 2019, respectively.