Data for: Harnessing environmental DNA (eDNA) to explore frugivorous interactions: A case study in Papaya (<em>Carica papaya</em>) and pineapple (<em>Ananas comosus</em>)

Plant-animal interactions (PAIs) are critical in ecosystem function, mediating energy flow and species interactions. Traditional methods of tracking PAIs, such as morphological identification and camera trapping, are limited in speed and scalability, posing challenges for comprehensive biodiversity monitoring. Recently, environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding has emerged as a promising technique for detecting species interactions non-destructively. This pilot study explores the application of eDNA metabarcoding to investigate interactions involving partially consumed and intact fruits of Carica papaya and Ananas comosus. eDNA metabarcoding was performed from 36 partially consumed and 6 intact fruit samples. Metabarcoding of mitochondrial COI gene fragments revealed a diverse range of taxa, with Arthropoda, particularly insects, being the most abundant. Results indicated significant differences in taxonomic composition between pineapple and papaya samples, where both the fruits hold some ..., Environmental DNA samples were sequenced through the Illumina MiSeq sequencing platform.&nbsp;, , # Data for: Harnessing environmental DNA (eDNA) to explore frugivorous interactions: A case study in Papaya (*Carica papaya*) and pineapple (*Ananas comosus*) [https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.k98sf7mhh](https://doi.org/10.5061/dryad.k98sf7mhh) [https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70196](https://doi.org/10.1002/edn3.70196) ## Description of the data and file structure **1. General Information** **Title of Dataset** Harnessing Environmental DNA (eDNA) to Explore Frugivorous Interactions: A Case Study in Papaya (*Carica papaya*) and Pineapple (*Ananas comosus*) **Authors and Affiliations** * **Pritam Banerjee** - Department of Environmental Science, Policy, and Management, University of California * **Jyoti Prakash Maity** - Department of Chemistry, School of Applied Sciences, KIIT Deemed to be University, India * **Nalonda Chatterjee**Â -Â Department of Aquatic Ecology, Eawag: Swiss Federal Institute of Aquatic Science and Technology * **Sven Weber** - Department of Environmental Science, Po...,