Sediment eDNA metabarcoding in Black Sea

This study compares the effectiveness of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding and traditional morphological taxonomy in assessing benthic macroinvertebrate communities and ecological quality along the Western Black Sea, a region underrepresented in marine research. Using both morphological taxonomy and eDNA methods (targeting COI and 18S rRNA genes), we collected sediment samples from six stations along a gradient of human pressure, including eutrophic bays and less-impacted coastal waters.