Environmental DNA metabarcoding provides enhanced detection of the European eel Anguilla anguilla and fish community structure in pumped river catchments

Due to increasing reliance on pumping stations for water level management, and emerging knowledge of their adverse ecological impacts on whole fish communities, it is important we manage these structures effectively. Recent eel specific policy means we must implement mitigation measures, however knowledge gaps with regard to species distribution in pumped catchments prevent targeted management. This study validates Environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding as a high sensitivity method to uncover priority species distribution and fish community structure in pumped river catchments.

鉴于当前对泵站用于水位调控的依赖程度日益提升，且学界已逐步明确其对全域鱼类群落的负面生态影响，因此对这类水利设施开展有效管理显得尤为关键。近期出台的鳗鱼专项政策要求我们必须落实生态减缓措施，但目前针对泵站集水区内的物种分布仍存在认知空白，这阻碍了针对性管理工作的推进。本研究验证了环境DNA（Environmental DNA，eDNA）宏条形码技术作为一种高灵敏度方法，可用于揭示泵站调控河流集水区内的优先物种分布及鱼类群落结构。