Assessing foraminiferal response to Chromium using eDNA and eRNA metabarcoding

In this study, we perform a chromium-spiked mesocosm experimental test on the benthic foraminiferal community to investigate the effects on species diversity by analysing both eDNA and eRNA metabarcoding data across different Cr concentrations in the sediment. The comparative analyses on foraminiferal diversity revealed that eRNA-based metabarcoding can better assess the response to heavy metal exposure in presence of subtle concentrations of the pollutant.