Using surface environmental DNA to assess arthropod biodiversity within a forested ecosystem

Terrestrial arthropod biodiversity can be difficult to monitor due to their taxonomic diversity and cryptic size/behavior. eDNA methods show promise in achieving fast accurate surveys. Most eDNA studies of terrestrial arthropods have used eDNA bulk samples from water or soil. Although useful, these methods may not fully characterize terrestrial arthropod diversity. Here we use two methods for the collection of arthropod eDNA directly from surfaces, namely tree bark and understory vegetation. Using a metabarcoding approach with two primer sets, we compared these two methods for the capture of arthropod biodiversity in the New Jersey pine barrens.