Data from: Linking water to the bottom: eDNA study of benthic invertebrates and invasive species in the Venice lagoon

This study investigates the benthic invertebrate community in the Venice
Lagoon using environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding based on superficial
water samples. Our objective is to understand if, in a shallow lagoon
system, sampling at the surface can provide information on benthic
biodiversity, allowing us to establish a baseline for future assessments
and to monitor the community's seasonal and spatial variation. eDNA
was collected from surface water samples at two sites during nine sampling
campaigns from November 2018 to October 2019, and metabarcoding was
performed using an available primer pair targeting 16S mitochondrial rDNA
of echinoderms, never tested empirically before. Analyses revealed 80
taxonomic units, five not assigned at the species level, belonging not
only to the phylum Echinodermata but predominantly assigned to Mollusca,
with the majority of the identified species (60 out of 75) representing
benthic invertebrates. Several species known to be invasive were detected,
some previously recorded in the Venice Lagoon environment and others
detected for the first time. Significant spatial differences in species
composition were observed between the northern and the southern site of
the lagoon. Temporal variation of the benthic community was also observed,
mainly due to the distinctiveness of autumn samples, highlighting the
dynamic nature of the Venice Lagoon ecosystem. Our results confirm the
utility of eDNA for ongoing biodiversity monitoring and management and
show that eDNA isolated from superficial water can provide information on
the benthic invertebrate community, which might be particularly useful for
biodiversity assessment in lagoons, ports, and areas characterized by
limited or interdicted access.