eDNA metabarcoding of communities under agricultural stress

This study investigated the impacts of two agricultural stressors (the neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid and fertilizer) in full-factorial design in a semi-natural research site, using environmental DNA sampling to study three different taxonomic groups representing three trophic levels: bacteria (decomposers), phytoplankton (primary producers), and chironomids (consumers). eDNA samples of 20 artificial ditches were obtained at different time points prior and after application of stressors.本研究采用全因子实验设计，在半自然研究样地中探究两种农业胁迫因子——新烟碱类杀虫剂噻虫啉（thiacloprid）与化肥——的生态影响。本研究依托环境DNA（environmental DNA, eDNA）采样技术，针对代表三个营养级的三类不同分类群开展研究：细菌（分解者）、浮游植物（初级生产者）以及摇蚊（消费者）。研究人员于胁迫因子施加前后的不同时间节点，采集了20条人工沟渠的环境DNA样本。