Recent research on environmental DNA (eDNA), genetic material shed by organisms into their environment that can be used for sensitive and species-specific detection, has focused on the ability to collect airborne eDNA released by plants and carried by the wind for use in terrestrial plant populations, including detection of invasive and endangered species. Another possible application of airborne eDNA is to detect changes in plant communities in response to activity or changes on a landscape-scale. Therefore, the goal of this study was to demonstrate how honey mesquite, blue grama, and general plant airborne eDNA changes in response to human activity on a landscape-scale. We monitored airborne eDNA before, during, and after a rangeland restoration effort that included honey mesquite removal. As expected, restoration activity resulted in a massive increase in airborne honey mesquite eDNA. However, we also observed changes in abundance of airborne eDNA from the grass genus Bouteloua, which was not directly associated with the restoration project, and we attribute these changes to both human activity and seasonal trends. Overall, we demonstrate for the first time that activity and changes on a landscape-scale can be tracked using airborne eDNA collection, and we suggest that airborne eDNA has the potential to help monitor and assess ecological restoration projects, track changes due to global warming, or investigate community changes in response to encroachment by invasive species or extirpation of threatened and endangered species.

中文翻译：

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机载 eDNA 在景观尺度上反映人类活动和季节性变化

最近对环境 DNA (eDNA) 的研究是生物体释放到环境中的遗传物质，可用于敏感和物种特异性检测，重点是收集植物释放的空气中 eDNA 和风携带的能力，以便在陆地上使用。植物种群，包括入侵和濒危物种的检测。空中 eDNA 的另一个可能应用是检测植物群落响应景观尺度的活动或变化的变化。因此，本研究的目的是展示蜂蜜豆科灌木、蓝格马和一般植物空气传播的 eDNA 如何在景观尺度上响应人类活动而发生变化。我们在包括去除蜂蜜豆科灌木的牧场恢复工作之前、期间和之后监测了空气传播的 eDNA。正如预期的那样，恢复活动导致空气中蜂蜜豆科植物 eDNA 的大量增加。然而，我们还观察到来自草属 Bouteloua 的空气中 eDNA 丰度的变化，这与恢复项目没有直接关系，我们将这些变化归因于人类活动和季节性趋势。总体而言，我们首次证明可以使用机载 eDNA 收集跟踪景观范围内的活动和变化，我们建议机载 eDNA 有可能帮助监测和评估生态恢复项目，跟踪全球变暖引起的变化，或调查社区因入侵物种的侵占或受威胁和濒危物种的灭绝而发生的变化。我们还观察到来自草属 Bouteloua 的空气中 eDNA 丰度的变化，这与恢复项目没有直接关系，我们将这些变化归因于人类活动和季节性趋势。总体而言，我们首次证明可以使用机载 eDNA 收集跟踪景观范围内的活动和变化，我们建议机载 eDNA 有可能帮助监测和评估生态恢复项目，跟踪全球变暖引起的变化，或调查社区因入侵物种的侵占或受威胁和濒危物种的灭绝而发生的变化。我们还观察到来自草属 Bouteloua 的空气中 eDNA 丰度的变化，这与恢复项目没有直接关系，我们将这些变化归因于人类活动和季节性趋势。总体而言，我们首次证明可以使用机载 eDNA 收集跟踪景观范围内的活动和变化，我们建议机载 eDNA 有可能帮助监测和评估生态恢复项目，跟踪全球变暖引起的变化，或调查社区因入侵物种的侵占或受威胁和濒危物种的灭绝而发生的变化。